/VEAV  CYNEE 


THE  MEW  CY; 


F^^ERiC  G 


fHOMAS  WILLING  BALCH 


LE  NOVVEAV  CYNEE 


THE  NEW  CYNEAS 


LE 

NOVVEAV  CYNEE 


DE 


EMERIC  CRUCE 

REliMPRESSION   DU  TEXTE  ORIGINAL   DE   1623 
AVEC  INTRODUCTION  ET  TRADUCTION  ANGLAISE 


PAR 

THOMAS    WILLING    BALCH 

Membre  du  Barreau  de  Philadelphie. 

MeMBRE    de    la    SoClfixfe    PrilLOSOPHIQUE    AMfiRICAINE. 

Membre  du  Conseil  de  la  Soci]6te  Historique  de  Pennsylvanie. 


Philadelphie 

ALLEN,   LANE  ET  SCOTT 

1909 


THE 

NEW  CYNEAS 


OF 


EMERIC  CRUCE 

EDITED   WITH   AN    INTRODUCTION   AND  TRANSLATED 

INTO  ENGLISH  EROM  THE  ORIGINAL 

FRENCH  TEXT  OF  1623 


BY 


THOMAS    WILLING    BALCH 

Member  of  the  Philadelphia  Bar. 

Member  of  the  American  Philosophical  Society. 

Member  of  the  Council  of  the  Historical  Society  of  Pennsylvania. 


Philadelphia 

ALLEN,    LANE    AND    SCOTT 

1909 


^-\ 


Copyright,    1909. 
By    THOMAS    WILLING    BALCH. 


To 
ERNEST    NYS 

Justice    of  the  Court  of  Appeal  of  Brussels, 

Judge  of  the  Hague  International  Court, 

Professor  of    International    Law  in    the    University 
of  Brussels, 

WHO  IN  THE  Year   1890  by  His   Researches  and 
Learning  Restored  to  the  Author  of  the 

NOUVEAU  CYNEE 

HIS  True   Name  of    Smeric  Cruce,  it  Gives   me  Great 

Pleasure  to  Dedicate  this   Reprint 

and  Translation. 


LE 

NOVVEAV  CYNEE 

ou 
DISCOURS  D'ESTAT 

REPRESENTANT   LES   OCCASIONS    ET    MOYENS 

D'ESTABLIR    UNE    PAIX    GENERALE, 

ET  LA  LIBERTE  DU  COMxMERCE 

PAR  TOUT  LE  MONDE. 

AUX  MONAROUES  ET  PRINCES  SOUVERAINS  DE  CE  TEMPS 
Em.  Cr.  Par. 


A    PARIS, 

Chez  Jacques  Villery,  au  Palais  sur  le  perron   Royal. 

M.   DC.   XXIII. 

AVEC    PRIVILEGE    DU    ROY. 


PRELIMINARY   NOTE. 


This  publication  of  the  original  text  of  the  Nou- 
veau  Cynee,  together  with  an  English  translation  of 
it,  has  involved  much  more  labor  than  appears  on 
the  surface.  The  original  text  I  copied,  at  the 
beginning  of  last  July,  from  Charles  Sumner's 
copy  of  the  Nouveau  Cynee  in  the  Harvard  Library, 
and  afterwards  in  September  the  galley  proofs 
were  twice  compared  with  the  original.  In  offer- 
ing this  reprint  to  scholars — about  the  only  per- 
sons whom  it  will  interest — I  hope  they  will  not 
be  too  severe  in  jtidging  what  may  seem  like  typo- 
graphical errors  of  mine  or  of  the  printers,  Messrs. 
Allen,  Lane  and  Scott.  For  often  a  letter  missing 
in  some  word  of  the  original,  which  may  have 
dropped  out  in  the  printing,  had  to  be  supplied. 
For  example  in  the  index,  the  letter  q  had  to  be 
added  to  the  word  conquestent.  In  other  cases, 
letters,  especially  the  letters  r  and  t,  were  frequently 
difficult  to  decipher.  In  addition,  Cruce  some- 
times gives  the  accents,  and  sometimes  he  does 
not.      In   the   translation   I   have   aimed  to  render 

rather  the  author's  meaning  than  to  give  a  smooth 

(i) 


U  PRELIMINARY    NOTE. 

English  style,  as  the  latter  might  cause  Cruce  to 
say  what  he  did  not  intend.  The  translation  has 
been  reviewed  both  by  my  sister  and  my  brother, 
who  helped  me  ver}''  much. 

I  wish  to  thank  Mr.  T.  J.  Kieman  of  the  Harvard 
Library,  who  gave  me  every  assistance  possible, 
an  assistance  which  he  used  to  give  me  as  read- 
ily and  courteously  when  I  was  for  four  years  an 
undergraduate  in  the  University. 

The  page  numbers  of  the  original  text  will  be 
found  on  the  margin  of  this  reprint  of  the  French 
text.  The  index,  a  reprint  of  Cruce's  index  refers 
to  this  original  pagination. 

THOMAS   WILLING   BALCH. 
Philadelphia,  October  28th,  1909. 


INTRODUCTION. 


There  was  published  semi-anonymously  at  Paris, 
in  the  year  1623,  a  small  book  entitled: — 

"Le  Nouveau  Cynee  ou  Discours  d'Estat  repre- 
sent ant  les  occasions  et  moyens  d'establir  une  paix 
generalle,  et  la  liberte  du  commerce  par  tout  le 
monde.  Aux  Monarques  et  Princes  souverains  de  ce 
temps.  Em.  Cr.  Par.  A  Paris,  chez  Jacques  Vil- 
lery,  au  Palais,  sur  le  perron  royal.  M.D.C.XXIII. 
Avec  Privilege  du  Roy." 

This  small  book,  with  a  preface  of  nine  pages, 
and  two  hundred  and  twenty-six  pages  of  text,  is 
extremely  rare.  There  are  two  copies  in  the  Biblio- 
theque  Nationale  at  Paris,  one  of  the  first  edition 
of  1623,  and  the  other  of  the  second  edition  of  1624. 
There  is  another  copy  in  the  Harvard  University 
Library,  to  whom  it  came  in  1874  in  the  private 
library  of  Charles  Sumner.  For  a  long  time  the 
true  name  of  the  author  was  unknown.  Publicists 
and  jurisconsults  generally  attributed  the  author- 
ship of  the  book  to  Emeric  or  Emery  de  La  Croix. 
In  the  Bihliographia  politica  of  Gabriel  Naude, 
pubHshed  in  1642  by  Charles  ChaUine,  he  is  so 
referred  to.     In  the  Magasin  pittoresque,  edited  by 

(iii) 


IV  INTRODUCTION. 

Edouard  Charton,  published  at  Paris,  1839,  there 
is  a  biographical  sketch  in  which  it  is  said:  "  Emeric 
de  La  Croix  is  a  thinker  almost  unknown  and 
nevertheless,  of  all  the  thinkers  who  occupied 
their  philosophical  leisure  to  constitute  hypotheti- 
cally  a  future  of  peace,  order  and  happiness  for 
States,  no  one  perhaps  saw  further  and  more  surely 
than  he.  That  is  enough  to  say  that  Emeric  de  La 
Croix  is  not  strictly  speaking  an  utopist;  but  his 
contemporaries  judged  him  to  be  one.  For  the 
great  majority  of  men  of  all  ages,  is  not  only  the 
present  a  reality  ?  *  *  *  As  a  writer  Emeric 
de  La  Croix  has  of  Montaigne  the  flexibility  of 
phrase  and  the  vigor  of  expression;  as  philosopher 
he  divides  with  Grotius  the  glory  of  having  freed 
science  in  basing  the  law  {droit)  on  natural  law 
iloi)  and  in  showing  the  identity  of  this  law  {loi) 
and  of  moral  truth  called  sociability;  as  politician, 
he  forges  several  centuries  ahead  of  his  contem- 
poraries in  revealing  a  future  of  order  and  peace 
which  neither  the  Treaties  of  Westphalia  nor  the 
Congress  of  Vienna  have  as  yet  accomplished." 

This  latter  article  seems  to  have  been  the  basis 
for  an  account  of  Cruce  under  the  name  of  Emeric 
de  La  Croix  in  the  Nouvelle  Biographie  Generale, 
volume  twenty-seven,  published  at  Paris  in  1858 
under  the  editorship  of  Dr.  Hoefer.  This  article 
which  is  signed  B.  H.  (initials  of  Barthelemy 
Haur^au)    says:     "What   shall   we   say  besides   of 


INTRODUCTION.  V 

his  life  ?  Nothing  is  known  of  it  and  that  is  a  pity, 
for  that  obscure  writer  was  not  a  common  man. 
*  *  *  Emeric  de  La  Croix  is  a  forerunner  of  the 
economists.  He  has  their  independence,  their 
audacity;  but  he  partakes  also  of  their  unfortu- 
nate prejudices  concerning  the  moral  sciences.  He 
is  even  in  this  respect  of  an  unusual  intolerance; 
he  cuts  down  all  the  useful  sciences,  the  only  ones 
worthy  of  esteem,  to  medicine  and  mathematics." 
It  was  not  until  1890  that  the  exact  name  of  the 
author  of  the  Nouveau  Cynee  was  rediscovered.  In 
that  year  the  distinguished  Belgian  international 
jurist,  Mr.  Justice  Nys,^  of  the  Court  of  Appeal  of 
Brussels,  who  has  made  such  notable  contributions 
to  the  science  fathered  by  GentiHs^  and  Grotius,^ 
became  aware  from  a  passage  in  a  letter  of  Leibniz 
to  the  Abbe  Castel  de  Saint  Pierre  of  the  existence 
of  a  book  called  the  Nouveau  Cynee.  In  a  letter  to 
the  present  editor,  dated  at  Brussels,  July  17th, 
1909,  Mr.  Justice  Nys  describes  how  he  found  the 
book.     He  says: 


^  Ernest  Nys:  Histoire  Litteraire  du  Droit  International; 
Revue  de  Droit  International  et  de  Legislation  Compar^e, 
Brussels,  1890,  page  377  et  seq. 

^  Thomas  Erskine  Holland:  Alherico  Gentili  in  Studies  in 
International  Law,  Oxford,  1898,  pages  1-39. — Luigi  Rava: 
Alherico  Gentili,  Discorso  pronunciato  all'  inaugurazione  del 
monumento,  in  Sanginesio  {26  Settembre,  1908),  Rome,  1908. 

^  L.  Oppenheim:  International  Law,  London,  1905.  Volume 
I,  page  77  et  seq. 


vi  introduction. 

"My  dear  Mr.  Balch: 

"  I  hasten  to  satisfy  your  desire.  As  you  know^ 
every  year,  I  pass  my  judicial  holidays  in  going  to 
work  in  some  great  library.  In  1890,  I  worked  at 
Paris  and  I  tried  to  know  at  first  hand  the  work 
entitled  Nouveau  Cynee  according  to  a  passage  of 
Leibniz,  and  which  was  generally  attributed  to 
Emery  La  Croix  or  de  La  Croix.  La  Croix  ap- 
peared, besides,  in  several  biographies.  I  had 
the  pleasure  to  be  able  to  read  at  the  Bibliotheque 
Nationale  the  little  volume  entitled,  Le  Nouveau 
Cynee  ou  discours  d'Estat  representent  des  occasions 
et  moyens  d'establir  une  paix  generalle  et  la  liberie 
du  commerce  par  tout  le  monde.  Aux  monarques  et 
princes  souverains  de  ce  temps.  Em.  Cr.  Par.  A 
Paris,  chez  Jacques  Villery,  au  Palais,  sur  le  perron 
royal.     Avec  privilege  du  roy. 

"Ancient  authors  generally  called  the  author 
Emericus  Crucejus.  The  Latin  form  of  the  name 
was  Crucaeus  (with  a  and  e  united).  In  a  writing  of 
Crucasus,  Silvarum  frondatio,  which  is  an  answer  to  a 
violent  attack  of  John  Frederick  Gronovius  against 
an  edition  of  the  works  of  Statius  that  the  same 
Crucaeus  had  published  in  1618,  there  is  an  anagram 
in  honor  of  the  author: 

"  '  Anagramma  in  autorem  hujus  frondationis, 
Emericus  Cruce 
Ecce  Mercurius.' 


INTRODUCTION.  Vll 

"The  fact  was  found.  The  name  was  Cruce, 
a  name,  moreover,  that  appears  several  times  in  the 
Histoire  Universelle  of  Jacques  de  Thou.  The 
French  translation  of  de  Thou  says  Cruce;  the 
Latin  edition  of  de  Thou  has  Crucoeus  (with  o  and 
e.)  How  right  you  are  to  publish  the  handsome 
book  of  the  forerunner  of  the  Abbe  de  Saint  Pierre 
and  our  modern  pacifists!" 

About  Emeric  Cruce  not  a  great  deal  is  known. 
He  was  bom  at  Paris  about  1590*  and  died  in  1648. 
Besides  the  Nouveau  Cynee  he  published,  a  number 
of  works  in  Latin.  Among  the  latter  is  an  anno- 
tated edition  of  the  works  of  Statius,  printed  at 
Paris  in  1618.  Cruce 's  name  appears  on  the  title 
page  in  its  Latin  form :  Publii  Papinii  Statii  Opera 
*     *     *     Emericus  Cruceus  recensuit} 

In  1619  John  Gaspard  Gevartius  of  Antwerp,  at 
the  time  residing  in  Paris,  aversely  criticised  Cruce 's 
editorial  work.  He  spoke  of  the  latter' s  annota- 
tions as  the  work  of  an  ignoramus.  "  Inscitia,  im- 
pudentia  ac  protervia  hominis  vanissimi,"  he  wrote 
in  his  own  book,  E lector um  libri  tres.^ 


*  Nouvelle  Biographie  Generale,  publi^e  par  Didot  Freres, 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Hoefer,  Paris,  1858,  Volume  27. 

^  Revue  de  Droit  International  et  de  Legislation  Comparie, 
Brussels,  1909;  page  597. 

°  Revue  de  Droit  International  et  de  Legislation   Comparie, 
Brussels,  1909;  page  597. 


Vm  INTRODUCTION. 

Another  contemporaneous  writer  of  the  seven- 
teenth century,  John  Frederick  Gronovius,  vigor- 
ously attacked  Cruce's  editorial  work  on  Statins. 
Gronovius,  who  was  born  at  Hamburg,  September 
8th,  1611,  studied  law  and  philosophy.^  He  then 
lived  for  a  time  in  England,  France  and  Italy, 
finally  settling  in  Holland.  In  1653  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  a  professorship  in  Ley  den  University, 
and  died  in  that  city,  December  28th,  1671.  He 
knew  well  Hugo  Grotius,  first  meeting  him  in 
Hamburg  in  1636.  The  next  year  Gronovius  pub- 
lished at  The  Hague  Diatribe  in  P.  Papinii  Statii 
poetae  Sylvas,  in  which  he  attacked  Cruce.  Two 
years  later  the  author  of  the  Nouveau  Cynee  replied 
to  his  critic  in  a  work  printed  at  Paris;  P.  Papinii 
Statii  Silvarum  frondatio  sive  anti-diatribe,  Emerico 
Cruce 0  auctore.  To  this  answer  of  Cruce,  Gronovius 
made  a  counter  attack  in  Elenchus  Anti-Diatribes 
Mercurii  Frondatoris  ad  Statii  Sylvas,  to  which 
again  the  Frenchman  replied  in  1640  in  a  polemic 
called:  Enter ici  Crucei  ad  P.  Papinii  Statii  Silvas 
Muscarium  sive  Helelenchus.  From  a  passage  in 
one  of  the  German  writer's  books,  we  learn  that  the 
French  author  was  a  monk.  "  Hardly  was  my  book. 
Diatribe  printed,"  he  writes,  "than  it  encountered 
at  once  an  adversary.  It  is  Emericus  Cruceus, 
monk  and  pedagogue,  in  I  know  not  what  college  of 

'  Nouvelle  Biographie  Generate  publi^e  par  Didot  Freres, 
under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Hoefer;    Paris,  1857,  Volume  21 


INTRODUCTION.  IX 

Paris."  "Vix  prodiit  liber  meus  et  subito  adver- 
sarium  invenit.  Is  est  Emericus  Cruceus  monachus 
et,  nescio,  in  quo  collegio  Parisiensi  paedagogus." 

Among  other  opprobrious  names  that  Gronovius 
called  the  French  author,  is  that  of  Mercurius. 

"The  name  of  Mercury,"  answers  Cruce,  "designs 
sometimes  the  patron  of  theft,  but  more  often  the 
patron  of  fecundity;  I  do  not  understand  the  wit- 
ticism." This  has  a  reference  to  the  anagram 
in  the  work  of  Antoine  Dorcal,  Emericus  Cruce, 
Ecce  Mercurius,  through  which  Mr.  Justice  Nys 
found  in  1890  the  name  of  the  author  of  the  New 
Cyneas.  Cruce  refers  at  the  same  time  to  his  name 
and  his  literary  works.  "You  make  sport  concern- 
ing my  name;  say  openly  Cruceus.  I  do  not  blush 
for  this  name,  which  in  splendor  overtops  your 
own.  Why  do  you  not  make  this  objection  to 
Jacobus  a  Cruce  of  Bologna,  to  Cruceius  of  Amiens, 
juristconsult,  to  Hannibal  Cruceus,  and  to  Cru- 
ceus soldier  and  chief  not  without  celebrity,  who 
figures  in  the  History  of  Jacques  de  Thou?" 

For  the  times  in  which  Cruce  lived  he  held  in 
many  directions  broad  and  liberal  views.  He  ar- 
gued that  it  was  for  the  advantage  of  society  that 
the  various  powers  and  nationaHties  should  not 
seek  to  injure  and  destroy  one  another  by  war, 
but  rather  to  exchange  their  various  products. 
"There  are  those,"  he  says  in  his  preface,  "who 
*     *     *     think    so    Httle    of    strangers,    that   they 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

consider  it  a  prudent  policy  to  sow  among  them 
dissensions,  in  order  to  enjoy  a  more  assured  quiet. 
But  I  am  of  a  very  different  opinion,  and  it  seems 
to  me  that  when  you  see  the  house  of  your  neigh- 
bor burning  or  falling,  that  you  have  a  cause  for 
fear,  as  much  as  for  compassion,  since  human  so- 
ciety is  one  body,  of  which  all  the  members  are  in 
sympathy  in  such  a  manner  that  it  is  impossible 
for  the  sickness  of  the  one  not  to  be  communicated 
to  the  others."  The  book  is  addressed  to  monarchs 
and  ruling  princes,  not  to  men  who  are  subject  to 
a  master,  for  Cruce  considers  that  the  former  or 
ruling  class  have  the  decision  of  whether  there  shall 
be  peace  or  war  between  the  reigning  sovereigns.* 
By  his  mental  attitude  towards  the  Princes  as  in- 
dividuals, Cruce  thus  shows  that  the  principle  of 
grouping  peoples  into  nations,  instead  of  as  in- 
dividuals dependent  upon  a  petty  local  lord 
according  to  the  feudal  system,  was  not  yet 
thoroughly  recognized,  a  change  that  was  not  in 
many  ways  legally  recognized  until  the  peace  of 
Westphalia  in  1648.  Giving  the  causes  of  war, 
he  says:  "I  would  say  that  foreign  wars  are  un- 
dertaken either  for  honor  or  profit,  or  for  the  rep- 
aration of  some  wrong,  or  else  for  exercise."  As 
an  argument  for  sovereign  rulers  to  keep  inter- 
Modern  history  shows  that  Democracies  as  well  as 
Princes  are  responsible  for  settling  international  difficulties 
by  war  instead  of  by  diplomacy  and  arbitration. 


INTRODUCTION.  XI 

national  peace,  he  depicts  the  danger  of  loss  of 
fortune  and  power  that  princes  run  who  undertake 
war.  "Histories  testify"  he  says,  "experience 
verifies  that  war  rather  hazards  the  reputation  of 
a  Prince  than  augments  it."  He  also  points  out 
that  States  have  their  birth,  growth,  decline  and 
dissolution  like  individuals,  evidently  recognizing 
the  principle  of  evolution  in  the  development  of 
social  institutions.^ 

He  argues  that  everyone  has  an  interest  in  the 
maintenance  of  peace,  and  considers  that  the  mer- 
chant is  far  more  useful  to  human  society  than  the 
soldier.  He  goes  on  to  say:  "In  case  it  may  be 
possible  that  we  may  obtain  a  universal  peace, 
of  which  the  best  result  is  the  estabUshment  of 
commerce :  and  on  that  account  the  monarchs  must 
see  to  it  that  their  subjects  can  traffic  without  fear 
as  well  by  sea  as  by  land." 

While  Emeric  Cruce  could  not  see  in  the  first 
quarter  of  the  seventeenth  century  as  clearly  as 
George  Washington  in  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  that  international  trade  is  the  power 
behind  the  throne  of  international  peace,  yet  he 
realized  that  freedom  of  trade  and  the  development 
of  international  commerce  would  tend,  by  making 

'  On  this  point  compare  the  Right  Hon.  James  Bryce's 
learned  address  before  the  American  Philosophical  Society 
at  the  Darwin  celebration,  April  23,  1909:  Proceedings  of 
the  American  Philosophical  Society,  Philadelphia,  1909,  Vol. 
XLVIII,  pages  VI.-VII. 


Xll  INTRODUCTION. 

countries  more  interdependent,  to  cause  wars 
to  grow  less  frequent.  He  pointed  out  that,  in 
order  to  enjoy  the  greatest  benefits  and  advantages 
of  commerce,  nations  must  have  peace,  and  in  order 
to  develop  the  facilities  of  communication  he  pro- 
posed to  join  the  seas  by  means  of  canals,  and  re- 
called that  Francis  the  First  promised  such  works 
in  Languedoc.  He  also  maintained  that  pirates, 
like  those  of  Algeria,  should  be  suppressed  and  that 
ships  of  war  should  guard  "the  ways  of  the  high 
seas."  "What  a  pleasure  it  would  be,"  he  says, 
"to  see  men  go  freely  here  and  there,  and  to  hold 
intercourse  with  one  another,  without  any  scruples 
of  country,  ceremonies  or  other  such  diversities, 
as  if  the  earth  were  as  she  really  is,  a  dwelling-place 
common  to  all!"  "Only  the  savages  could  oppose 
such  a  policy;  but  if  they  wish  to  continue  their 
brutal  ways  of  living,  they  will  be  blocked,  at- 
tacked and  killed  like  poor  beasts  in  their  lairs." 
By  the  side  of  commerce,  he  placed  the  practical 
arts,  such  as  architecture,  clock  making,  the  manu- 
facture of  silk  and  linen,  and  the  mechanical  arts. 
Then  he  discusses  the  exact  sciences,  giving  the 
first  places  for  usefulness  to  medicine  and  mathe- 
matics. But  strangely  for  one  who  further  on  in 
his  book  advocated  the  creation  of  an  International 
Court,  composed  of  the  Ambassadors  of  the  powers 
of  all  the  world,  to  judge  between  the  nations, 
Cruce  thought  that  jurisprudence  was  not  a  neces- 


INTRODUCTION.  Xlll 


sary  part  of  social  economy.  "Theology,"  he  said, 
"surpasses  our  capacity.  Dialectics  is  only  sub- 
servient and  an  aid  to  the  others  [sciences  (?)]. 
Physics  is  a  knowledge  of  nature  that  depends 
on  experience.  Rhetoric  is  superfluous.  Jurispru- 
dence is  also  not  necessary,  and  a  good  natural 
judgment  is  sufficient  to  finish  lawsuits,  without 
having  recourse  to  a  multitude  of  laws  and  de- 
cisions, that  only  confuse  cases  instead  of  simplify- 
ing them.  Grammar,  poetry  and  history  are  more 
specious  than  profitable." 

To  the  objection  that  the  diversity  of  nations 
causes  quarrels  and  wars,  Cruce  replies:  "Why 
should  I  a  Frenchman  wish  harm  to  an  Englishman, 
a  Spaniard,  or  a  Hindoo  ?  I  cannot  wish  it  when  I 
consider  that  they  are  men  like  me,  that  I  am  sub- 
ject like  them  to  error  and  sin  and  that  all  nations 
are  bound  together  by  a  natural  and  consequently 
indestructible  tie,  which  ensures  that  a  man  cannot 
consider  another  a  stranger,  unless  he  follows  the 
common  and  inveterate  opinion  that  he  has  received 
from  his  predecessors." 

In  speaking  of  religious  toleration,  Emeric  Cvuc6 
at  one  place  in  his  book  says:  "I  have  not  under- 
taken to  solve  this  difficulty,  a  more  knowing  one 
than  I  would  be  much  confused:  only  I  will  say 
that  all  the  religions  tend  to  the  same  end,  namely, 
the  recognition  and  adoration  of  the  Divinity. 
And  if  some  do  not  choose  the  good  road  or  the 


XIV  INTRODUCTION. 

legitimate  way,  it  is  more  from  simplicity  and  ill 
teaching  than  from  malice,  and  therefore,  they  are 
more  worthy  of  compassion  than  of  hatred." 

At  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  the 
idea  of  religious  toleration  was  not  strong,  yet  it 
had  been  officially  proclaimed  in  the  previous 
century.  As  far  back  as  1557,  Andre  Maday  writes, ^° 
Transylvania  and  its  Calvinistic  sovereign  "who, 
menaced  by  two  powers  as  redoubtable  as  Turkey 
and  Austria,  understood,  that  the  best  method 
to  cause  citizens  to  be  jealous  of  their  country,  is 
to  assure  their  individual  liberty.  In  fact,  the 
Parliament  of  Torda  votes  in  1557  a  law,  accord- 
ing to  which  each  one  is  free  to  follow  the  old  or  the 
new  religion.  It  is  the  first  law  of  religious  liberty 
in  Europe.  "^^ 

In  supporting  the  necessity  of  religious  tolera- 
tion, a  principle  of  State  with  which  France  was 
blessed  by  Henry  the  Fourth  in  1598,  in  the  Edict 
of  Nantes,  Emeric  Cruc6  says:  "Since  true  religion 
is  a  supernatural  gift,  it  must  come  from  God  and 
not  from  men  who,  with  all  their  arms,  have  not 
the  power  to  compel  belief  in  the  least  of  its  mys- 
teries.    *     *     *     That   those   who   have   true   re- 


^°  La  Reforme  en  Hongric:  Journal  de  Geneve,  July  8th, 
1909.     Communicated  by  M.  le  Pasteur  Paul  Sabatier. 

*^  On  this  subject  generally,  see  Jean  de  Ridder:  La  LibertS 
de  Conscience  en  Droit  International;  Revue  de  Droit  Inter- 
national et  de  Legislation  Compar^e,  Brussels,  1905,  page  283 
et  seq. 


INTRODUCTION.  XV 

ligion  do  not  think  they  can  control  imperiously 
by  their  will  the  belief  of  others,  in  whom  they 
have  no  interest,  provided  that  they  hold  them- 
selves within  the  bounds  of  modesty  and  do  not 
disturb  the  concord  of  public  tranquility.  *  *  * 
It  does  not  belong  to  men  to  punish  or  correct  the 
mistakes  of  faith;  it  belongs  to  Him  who  sees 
hearts  and  the  most  secret  thoughts.  The  faults 
of  the  will  are  punishable  by  civil  laws,  those  of 
knowledge,  to  wit,  false  doctrines,  have  only  God 
for  judge.  Therefore  those  who  have  wished  to 
shake  this  cord  have  gained  nothing. ' ' 

But  later  on  he  shows  that  he  is  bound  by  the 
generally  narrow  religious  horizon  of  his  times. 
Believing  firmly  in  his  branch  of  the  Christian 
Church,  he  cannot  see  when  speaking  of  adherents 
of  the  Confessions  of  Augsburg  or  Geneva,  that 
they  belong  to  other  branches  of  the  Christian 
Church.  Also  repeatedly  he  speaks  with  approval 
of  the  idea  of  the  divine  rights  of  Kings,  and  main- 
tains that  subjects  must  not  seek  a  redress  of  griev- 
ances from  their  sovereign  by  force  of  arms. 

Cruc^  believes  that  general  peace  is  possible  and 
that  neither  international  obstacles,  nor  differences 
of  religion,  nor  diversity  of  nationality  are  legiti- 
mate causes  for  war.  But  he  saw  and  proclaimed 
that  as  a  prerequisite  to  the  peaceful  settlement  of 
international  disputes,  some  sort  of  machinery 
disposing  of  international  differences  was  necessary. 


XVI  INTRODUCTION. 

In  this  respect  his  foresight  was  far  in  advance  of 
many  advocates  of  universal  peace,  who,  coming 
after  him,  urged  international  peace  without  pro- 
viding any  adequate  judicial  remedy  for  the  adjust- 
ment and  settlement  of  disputes  between  the 
nations.  His  plan  was  to  organize  an  International 
Court  at  Venice  before  whom  any  Powers  that 
disagreed  should  appear  in  the  person  of  an  am- 
bassador to  plead  their  cause. 

Cruc^  proposed  that  all  the  principal  sovereigns 
of  the  world  should  always  have  at  Venice  ambassa- 
dors to  represent  them  in  a  general  assembly  of  all 
the  nations  of  the  world:  and  that  when  any  two 
sovereign  potentates  should  disagree,  that  then  in- 
stead of  settling  their  difference  of  opinion  by 
resorting  to  arms  and  war,  they  should  appeal  to 
the  judgment  of  this  assembly  sitting  at  Venice, 
each  contestant  presenting  his  side  of  the  case 
through  his  own  representative  in  Venice.  In  this 
general  world-wide  assembly,  Cruce  wished  to 
include  the  great  republics.  But  the  ambassadors 
of  the  republics  were  not  to  have  a  vote  except  in 
case  of  a  tie.  ' '  And  if  the  opinions  of  the  assembly 
of  the  Princes  or  their  deputies  were  found  to  be 
divided  into  two  parts  and  of  equal  weight,  as  may 
happen,"  he  says  "the  Deputies  of  the  Republics 
who  would  have  a  deliberative  voice  could  then  be 
called,  in  order  to  finish  the  debate  by  the  counter- 
balancing weight  of  their  suffrages."     Thus  in  the 


INTRODUCTION.  XVll 

rough    we    find    the    present    Hague    International 
Court  sketched  out. 

With  whom  the  idea  of  international  arbitration 
originated  we  shall  probably  never  know.  As  most 
other  social  institutions  it  evoluted  gradually.  The 
idea  is  dimly  suggested  in  the  Old  Testament.  The 
Grecian  States  practiced  arbitration  in  a  way  among 
themselves.  So  too  in  Europe  during  the  Middle 
Ages,  when  feudalism  was  the  basis  of  the  social 
fabric,  some  cases  of  difference  between  contend- 
ing princes  were  referred  to  the  decision  of  another 
sovereign  potentate  who  w^as  supposed  to  be  impar- 
tial. Thus  in  the  twelfth  century  Gerohus^^  or 
Gerloius  suggested  something  like  arbitration; 
and  in  the  reign  of  Philip  le  Bel  of  France  (1285- 
1314),  Pierre  Dubois  outlined  a  plan  intended 
to  maintain  to  some  extent  peace  in  Europe.  He 
restricted  this,  however,  to  the  Christian  Powers: 
the  so-called  Infidels  were  to  be  outside  of  its  pale. 
Indeed,  those  individuals  who  would  not  accept 
the  decree  of  Dubois's  proposed  peace  board  were 
to  be  impressed  into  fighting  the  Infidels.  ^^ 

^^  W.  Evans  Darby,  "International  Tribunals,"  London, 
1904,  p.  22. 

^^ Dc  Recuperatione  Terre Sancte.  Traite  de  politique  g^nSralc, 
par  Pierre  Dubois,  Avocat  des  causes  eccUsiastiqiies  an  bail- 
liage  de  Coutance  sous  Philippe  le  Bel.  Public  d'apres  le 
manuscrit  du  Vatican  par  Charles  V.  Langlois:  Paris,  1891. 
Communicated  by  Professor  James  Harvey  Robinson  of 
Columbia    University. 


Xviii  INTRODUCTION. 

For  a  long  time  the  Great  Design  of  Henry  the 
Fourth  of  France  was  very  generally  looked  upon 
as  the  starting  point  of  the  modern  practice  of  inter- 
national arbitration.  But  that  so-called  plan  of 
Henry's — ^for  modern  scholars  think  it  was  much 
more  the  idea  of  Sully — did  not  propose  to  arrange 
the  differences  between  the  European  sovereign  in 
peace  by  submitting  the  differences  to  the  impar- 
tial arbitrament  of  third  and  neutral  princes.  The 
whole  conception  of  the  Great  Design  was  based 
upon  the  idea  of  building  up  a  great  league  of  the 
smaller  European  powers  around  the  French  mon- 
archy, with  the  purpose  of  overthrowing  the  Im- 
perial House  of  Hapsburg,  then  the  dominating 
power  in  Europe."  Besides  what  the  world  knows 
of  the  Great  Design  comes  entirely  from  Sully's 
memoirs  first  pubhshed  in  1638,  fifteen  years  after 
Crece  had  given  his  plan  to  the  world  for  an 
international  assembly  at  Venice. 

The  historian  Charles  Pfister  thinks  that  Sully 
derived  his  idea  of  arbitration  probably  from 
Cruc^'s  book.^^     "Sully  partook  of  the  idea  of  his 


14 


Th.  Ktikelhaus,  Der  Ursprung  des  Planes  vom  Ewiger 
Frieden  in  den  Memoiren  des  Herzogs  von  Sully,  Berlin, 
1893. — Charles  Pfister,  Les  "Economies  royales"  de  Sully 
et  le  grand  dessein  de  Henri  Quatre:  Revue  Historique,  Paris, 
1894,  Volumes  54,  55,  56. 

^^  Charles  Pfister:  Les  ''Economies  Royales''  de  Sully  et 
le  Grand  Dessein  de  Henri  Quatre:  Revue  Historique,  Paris, 
1894,  Volume  56,  page  330. 


INTRODUCTION.  xix 

epoch,"  Pfister  says,  "and  it  was  natural  that 
after  attributing  to  Henry  the  Fourth  great  de- 
signs that  the  latter  never  had,  he  further  ex- 
aggerated and  credited  the  King  with  the  project 
of  maintaining  peace  and  creating  a  council  that 
should  judge  all  differences.  This  last  conception 
does  not  appear  to  us  to  be  even  original.  Sully 
took  it,  it  seems  to  us,  in  a  very  curious  book  of 
that  epoch,  the  Cinee  d'Estat,  written  by  an  author 
who  merits  not  to  be  forgotten:    Em.  La  Croix. "^^ 

Cruc6  contemplated  a  universal  union  that  should 
include  even  Persia,  China,  Ethiopia,  the  East 
Indies,  the  West  Indies,  indeed  all  the  world.  A 
delicate  question  was,  how  to  arrange  the  order  of 
rank  and  precedence.  He  suggested  as  a  possible 
solution  of  this  difficulty,  the  following  order,  and 
some  of  the  reasons  for  it: 

First:  The  Pope,  in  part  out  of  respect  to  ancient 
Rome. 

Second:  The  Sultan  of  the  Turks,  because  of 
"the  majesty,  power  and  happiness"  of  his  Empire, 
and  also  on  account  of  the  memory  of  the  ancient 
Eastern  Empire,  of  which  Constantinople  was  the 
capital. 


^®  In  a  foot  note  of  Pfister,  the  title  is  given  thus:  " Le 
Cinee  d'Estat  siir  les  occurences  de  ce  temps,  aiix  monarqucs 
et  potentats  de  ce  monde,  par  Em.  Cruce,  A  Paris,  chez  Jacques 
Villery,  MDCXXIV.  Le  privilege  est  du  26  Novembre 
1622   (Bibl.  Nat.  LL36,  3534)." 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

Third:    The  Christian  Emperor. 

Fourth:     The  King  of  France. 

Fifth:    The  King  of  Spain. 

Then  the  claims  of  the  Kings  of  Persia  and  China, 
Prester  John,  the  Precop  (sic)  of  Tatary  and  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Muscovy,  must  be  arranged. 

Next  the  importance  and  order  of  precedence  of 
the  Kings  of  Great  Britain,  Poland,  Denmark, 
Sweden,  Japan  and  Morocco,  the  Great  Mogul  and 
the  other  monarchs  demanded  attention. 

Among  other  expedients,  Cruce  proposed  to  give 
the  first  place  to  the  first  comer,  or  to  the  oldest, 
or  again  a  tour  de  role. 

He  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  that  freedom  of 
trade  and  universal  peace,  without  the  initiative 
of  some  one,  could  never  become  realities.  In  his 
opinion  two  potentates,  the  Pope  and  the  King  of 
France,  could  broach  the  subject  to  the  sovereigns 
of  the  world:  the  former  to  the  Christian  princes, 
the  latter  to  the  Mohammedan  rulers.  Cruce  wrote : 
"Only  let  them  publish  peace  By  the  orders  of  the 
King!  Those  words  will  make  them  drop  their 
arms  from  their  hands." 

Time  has  shown  that  there  were  many  defects 
in  this  proposed  plan.  For  example,  at  the  time 
that  Cruce  wrote  proposing  to  give  the  first  and 
the  third  places  respectively  to  representatives 
of  the  Pope  and  the  Emperor  of  the  Holy  Roman 
Empire  in  this  council  of  the  sovereigns,  the  Thirty 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

Years  War,  in  which  Protestantism  was  fighting 
for  its  very  life,  and  that  was  to  result  in  breaking 
finally  the  aspirations  to  Universal  dominion  in  the 
occidental  world  of  both  Pope  and  Emperor,  had 
little  more  than  begun.  ^'' 

Cruce's  work  for  universal  peace  bore  good  fruit. 
Gabriel  Naude  in  his  Bihliographia  politica  (1642) 
mentions  Le  Nouveau  Cyme,  "  done  rather  for  recrea- 
tion of  the  mind  than  on  account  of  any  opinion 
that  the  writer  had  that  the  advice  that  he  gives 
can  ever  succeed.  "^^ 

In  the  year  1664,  Charles  Sorel  in  La  bibliothbque 
jrdngoise  on  le  choix  et  Vexamen  des  livres  jrangois 
qui  traitent  de  V eloquence,  de  la  philosophie,  de  la  de- 
votion et  de  la  conduite  des  moeurs,  says:  "There  is  a 
book  called  Le  Nouveau  Cynee,  which  gives  reasons 
for  the  establishment  of  a  general  peace  and  freedom 
of  trade  through  all  the  world.  One  imagines  that 
something  additional  is  necessary  to  make  it  a  suc- 
cess, but  the  design  is  always  beautiful  and  bold."^* 

^^  Henry  Wheaton:  Histoire  des  progres  du  Droit  des  Gens 
en  Europe  et  en  Am^rique.  Leipzig,  4th  edition,  1866, 
Volume  I.,  page  98. — Pasquale  Fiore:  Nouveau  Droit  Inter- 
national Public;  Paris,  1885,  Volume  I.,  pages  35-37. — L.  Op- 
penheim:  International  Law,  London,  1905,  Volume  I., 
page  57. 

^^  Ernest  Nys:  Etudes  de  Droit  International  et  de  Droit 
Politique,  Brussels  and  Paris,  1896,  page  316. 

^'  Ernest  Nys:  Etudes  de  Droit  International  et  de  Droit 
Politique,  Brussels  and  Paris,  1896,  page  316. 


XX  INTRODUCTION. 

Third:    The  Christian  Emperor. 

Fourth:    The  King  of  France. 

Fifth:     The  King  of  Spain. 

Then  the  claims  of  the  Kings  of  Persia  and  China, 
Prester  John,  the  Precop  (sic)  of  Tatary  and  the 
Grand  Duke  of  Muscovy,  must  be  arranged. 

Next  the  importance  and  order  of  precedence  of 
the  Kings  of  Great  Britain,  Poland,  Denmark, 
Sweden,  Japan  and  Morocco,  the  Great  Mogul  and 
the  other  monarchs  demanded  attention. 

Among  other  expedients,  Cruce  proposed  to  give 
the  first  place  to  the  first  comer,  or  to  the  oldest, 
or  again  li  tour  de  role. 

He  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  that  freedom  of 
trade  and  universal  peace,  without  the  initiative 
of  some  one,  could  never  become  realities.  In  his 
opinion  two  potentates,  the  Pope  and  the  King  of 
France,  could  broach  the  subject  to  the  sovereigns 
of  the  world:  the  former  to  the  Christian  princes, 
the  latter  to  the  Mohammedan  rulers.  Cruce  wrote : 
"Only  let  them  publish  peace  By  the  orders  of  the 
King!  Those  words  will  make  them  drop  their 
arms  from  their  hands." 

Time  has  shown  that  there  were  many  defects 
in  this  proposed  plan.  For  example,  at  the  time 
that  Cruce  wrote  proposing  to  give  the  first  and 
the  third  places  respectively  to  representatives 
of  the  Pope  and  the  Emperor  of  the  Holy  Roman 
Empire  in  this  council  of  the  sovereigns,  the  Thirty 


INTRODUCTION.  XXI 

Years  War,  in  which  Protestantism  was  fighting 
for  its  very  life,  and  that  was  to  result  in  breaking 
finally  the  aspirations  to  Universal  dominion  in  the 
occidental  world  of  both  Pope  and  Emperor,  had 
little  more  than  begun.  ^'' 

Cruce's  work  for  universal  peace  bore  good  fruit. 
Gabriel  Naude  in  his  Bihliographia  politica  (1642) 
mentions  Le  Nouveau  Cynee,  "  done  rather  for  recrea- 
tion of  the  mind  than  on  account  of  any  opinion 
that  the  writer  had  that  the  advice  that  he  gives 
can  ever  succeed.  "^^ 

In  the  year  1664,  Charles  Sorel  in  La  hihliothhque 
jrdngoise  ou  le  choix  et  Vexamen  des  livres  frangois 
qui  traitent  de  V eloquence,  de  la  phtlosophie,  de  la  de- 
votion et  de  la  conduite  des  moeurs,  says:  "There  is  a 
book  called  Le  Nouveau  Cynee,  which  gives  reasons 
for  the  establishment  of  a  general  peace  and  freedom 
of  trade  through  all  the  world.  One  imagines  that 
something  additional  is  necessary  to  make  it  a  suc- 
cess, but  the  design  is  always  beautiful  and  bold."^* 

^^  Henry  Wheaton:  Histoire  des  progres  du  Droit  des  Gens 
en  Europe  et  en  Am6rique.  Leipzig,  4th  edition,  1866, 
Volume  I.,  page  98. — Pasquale  Fiore:  Nouveau  Droit  Inter- 
national Public;  Paris,  1885,  Volume  I.,  pages  35-37. — L.  Op- 
penheim:  International  Law,  London,  1905,  Volume  L, 
page  57. 

^^  Ernest  Nys:  Etudes  de  Droit  International  et  de  Droit 
Politique,  Brussels  and  Paris,  1896,  page  316. 

^^  Ernest  Nys:  Etudes  de  Droit  International  et  de  Droit 
Politique,  Brussels  and  Paris,  1896,  page  316. 


XXU  INTRODUCTION. 

Leibniz,  in  a  letter  to  I'Abbe  de  Saint  Pierre  upon 
the  latter's  Paix  perpetuelle,  wrote  concerning 
Emeric  Cruc^'s  work,  and  suggested  the  probable 
origin  of  its  name:  "  When  I  was  very  young,  I  knew 
a  work  entitled,  Le  Nouveau  Cynee,  whose  unknown 
author  counselled  sovereigns  to  rule  their  States 
in  peace  and  to  submit  their  differences  to  an  es- 
tablished tribunal;  but  I  do  not  know  how  to  find 
this  book  and  I  do  not  remember  now  any  details. 
It  is  known  that  Cineas^^  was  a  confidant  of  King 

^°  Cineas  was  a  Thessalian  orator  and  negotiator,  who 
studied  rhetoric  under  Demosthenes,  and  was  renowned  for 
eloquence.  He  visited  Epirus  and  became  a  favorite  of 
Pyrrhus.  Plutarch  relates  the  following  famous  conversa- 
tion between  the  orator  and  the  king : — 

"There  was  then  at  the  court  of  Pyrrhus,  a  Thessalian 
named  Cineas,  a  man  of  sound  sense,  and  who  having  been  a 
disciple  of  Demosthenes,  was  the  only  orator  of  his  time 
that  presented  his  hearers  with  a  lively  image  of  the  force 
and  spirit  of  that  great  master.  This  man  had  devoted 
himself  to  Pyrrhus,  and  in  all  the  embassies  he  was  em- 
ployed in,  confirmed  that  saying  of  Euripides, 

"  '  The  gates  that  steel  exclude,  resistless  eloquence 
shall  enter.' 

This  made  Pyrrhus  say,  'That  Cineas  had  gained  him  more 
cities  by  his  address,  than  he  had  won  by  his  arms';  and  he 
continued  to  heap  honors  and  employments  upon  him. 
Cineas  now  seeing  Pyrrhus  intent  upon  his  preparations 
for  Italy,  took  an  opportunity,  when  he  saw  him  at  leisure, 
to  draw  him  into  the  following  conversation:  'The  Romans 
have  the  reputation  of  being  excellent  soldiers,  and  have 
the  command  of  many  warlike  nations;  if  it  please  Heaven 
that  we  conquer  them,  what  use,  sire,  shall  we  make  of  our 


INTRODUCTION.  XXUl 

Pyrrhus  who  advised  the  latter  to  rest  himself  at 
first,  as  it  was  his  object,  as  he  confessed  it,  when 

victory?'     'Cineas,'  replied  the  king,  'your  question  answers 
itself.     When  the   Romans  are   once   subdued,   there  is  no 
town,  whether  Greek  or  barbarian,  in  all  the  country,  that 
will  dare  oppose  us;    but  we  shall  immediately  be  masters 
of   all   Italy,    whose   greatness,   power,    and   importance  no 
man  knows  better  than  you.'     Cineas,  after  a  short  pause, 
continued,  'But  after  we  have  conquered  Italy,  what  shall 
we  do  next,   sire?'     Pyrrhus,  not  yet  perceiving  his  drift, 
replied,    'There   is   Sicily  very  near,   and   stretches   out  her 
arms  to  receive  us,  a  fruitful  and  populous  island,  and  easy 
to  be  taken.      For   Agathocles  was  no   sooner   gone,   than 
faction  and  anarchy  prevailed  among  her  cities,  and  every 
thing  is  kept  in  confusion  by  her  turbulent   demagogues.' 
'What  you  say,  my  prince,'  said  Cineas,  'is  very  probable; 
but   is  the   taking  of  Sicily   to   conclude   our   expeditions?' 
'Far  from  it,'  answered  Pyrrhus,   'for  if  Heaven  grants  us 
success    in   this,  that  success    shall  only  be    the  prelude  to 
greater  things.     Who  can  forbear  Libya  and  Carthage,  then 
v.-ithin  reach?    which   Agathocles,   even  when  he   fled   in   a 
clandestine  manner  from  Syracuse,  and  crossed  the  sea  with 
a  few  ships  only,  had  almost  made  himself  master  of.     And 
when  we  have  made  such  conquests  who  can  pretend  to 
say,  that  any  of  our  enemies,  who  are  now  so  insolent,  will 
think  of  resisting  us?'     'To  be  sure,'  said  Cineas,  'they  will 
not;    for  it  is  clear  that  so  much  power  will  enable  you  to 
recover   Macedonia,    and  to   establish   yourself  uncontested 
sovereign  of  Greece.     But  when  we  have  conquered  all,  what 
are  we  to  do  then?'     'Why  then,  my  friend,'  said  Pyrrhus, 
laughing,  'we  will  take  our  ease,  and  drink  and  be  merry.' 
Cineas,   having  brought  him  thus  far,   replied,   'And  what 
hinders  us  from  drinking  and  taking  our  ease  now,  when  we 
have  already  those  things  in  our  hands,  at  which  we  pro- 
pose to  arrive  through  seas  of  blood,  through  infinite  toils 
and    dangers,    through    innumerable    calamities,    which    we 
must    both    cause    and    suffer?'"      Plutarch's    Lives,    trans- 


XXIV  INTRODUCTION. 

he  had  conquered  Sicily,  Calabria,  Rome  and 
Carthage.  "21 

In  recent  years,  too,  Cruce's  book  influenced 
publicists,  juristconsults  and  political  men.  In 
the  Eclectic  Review  of  August,  1849,^^  the  Nouveau 
Cynee  is  reviewed  at  length.  In  this  article  the 
year  of  publication  is  given  as  1622  instead  of 
1623,  a  mistake  due  to  the  fact  that  as  the  title 
page  of  the  copy  under  review  is  missing,  the  re- 
viewer took  the  year  in  which  the  "privilege  du 
Roy,"  1622,  was  granted  as  the  date  of  publication. 

"In  the  year  1622  there  was  published  in  Paris, 
anonymously,"  the  writer  in  the  Eclectic  Review 
says,  "a  very  remarkable  book,  copies  of  which 
are  now  extremely  rare,  entitled,  *Le  Nouveau 
Cynee,  ou  discours  des  Occasions  et  moyens  d'es- 
tablir  une  Paix  Generale  et  la  Liberte  du  commerce 
par  tout  le  monde.'  By  the  kindness  of  a  friend 
(Mr.  George  Sumner  of  Paris)  we  have  been  per- 
mitted to  inspect  a  copy  of  this  singular  production. 
On  the  question  of  free  trade  and  religious  liberty 

lated  from  the  original  Greek  by  John  and  William  Lang- 
horn:    New  York:    1839;    P^^rr/zw^,  page  280. 

Boileau  rendered  this  conversation  into  verse.  See 
CEuvres  de  Boileau  DesprSaux;  de  Vimprimerie  de  Didot 
I'ain^:  Paris,  1789:  Epitre  Premihre,  au  Roi:  Volume  1, 
page  165. 

Ernest   Nys:    Etudes  de  Droit  International  et  de  Droit 
Politique,  Paris  and  Brussels,  1896,  page  305. 

^^  London,  Volume  26,  N.  S.  page  241. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXV 

the  author  seems  to  have  been  greatly  in  advance 
of  his  age.  *  *  *  We  should  be  pleased,  had 
our  limits  permitted  to  treat  our  readers  to  many 
other  extracts  from  this  admirable  old  book." 

This  copy,  found  by  George  Sumner,  came  into 
the  hands  of  his  brother,  Charles  Sumner,  a  great 
advocate  of  practical  international  arbitration.  Sen- 
ator Sumner  speaks  publicly  of  the  Nouveau  Cynee  as 
early  as  1849.^^  Upon  Sumner's  death  in  1874  this 
copy  went  to  the  Harvard  Library  by  bequest  with 
the  Senator's  private  library.  And  there  it  is  to-day 
minus  the  title  page.  In  this  copy  Sumner  wrote 
with  his  own  hand:  "This  very  rare  book  is  sup- 
posed to  be  by  Emeric  de  la  Croix:  bom  1590 — date 
of  death  unknown."  President  Theodore  Dwight 
Woolsey  of  Yale  University  also  knew  of  the  work.-^ 

That  mankind  was  eager  and  anxious  to  save 
itself  from  the  horrors  and  miseries  of  war,  without 


^^  Charles  Sumner:  The  War  System  of  the  Commonivealth 
of  iK'ations.  An  address  before  the  American  Peace  Society, 
at  its  anniversary  in  Boston,  May  28,  184Q,  in  Orations  and 
Speeches,  Boston,  1850,  Volume  II.,  page  62.  In  a  foot- 
note in  Sumner's  Works,  Boston,  1875,  Volume  II.,  page 
234,  Sumner,  in  speaking  of  the  Nouveau  Cyn^e,  writes: 
"A  copy,  found  in  one  of  the  stalls  of  Paris,  is  now  before 
me."  There  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  this  copy  was 
in  Charles  Sumner's  possession  in   1849. 

^^  Theodore  Dwight  Woolsey:  International  Arbitration: 
The  International  Review:  New  York,  1874,  page  120:  In- 
troduction  to  the  study  of  International  Law:'  New  York,  5th 
edition,  1888,  page  401. 


XXVI  INTRODUCTION. 

clearly  knowing  how,  was  amply  shown  by  the 
rapid  and  complete  success  of  the  most  renowned 
of  Hugo  Grotius's  works — De  Jure  Belli  ac  Pacts. ^^ 
He  gave  it  to  the  world  in  1625,^^  two  years  after 
Cruce  published  Le  Nouveau  Cyn^e.  He  wrote  with 
the  view  of  softening  the  horrible  usages  of  war 
then  prevailing.  ^^  The  great  Gustavus  Adolphus 
carried  a  copy  with  him  in  his  campaigns, ^^  and  its 
leading  principles  were  recognized  in  the  peace  of 
Westphalia  (1648).  The  Dutch  juristconsult  lived 
for  a  time  in  Paris  and  probably  knew  both  Cruce 
and  his  work,  and  possibly  gained  some  of  his  ideas 
on  international  arbitration  from  the  Frenchman's 

^^  Sir  Travers  Twiss:  The  Law  of  Nations  considered  as 
independent  political  communities:  On  the  Rights  and  Duties 
of  Nations  in  time  of  Peace.  New  edition,  revised  and  en- 
larged; Oxford;  the  Clarendon  Press,  1884;  Introduction 
to  the  second  edition,  pages  XVII-XXI. 

^^  Lord  Russell  of  Killowen,  Lord  Chief  Justice  of  Eng- 
land: Address  on  International  Arbitration,  before  the 
American  Bar  Association  at  Saratoga,  August  20th,  1896; 
The  Times  (London)  August  21st,  1896,  page  5.  Thomas 
Erskine  Holland:  Studies  in  International  Law,  Oxford, 
1898,  page  2. 

^^  John  Westlake:  Chapters  on  the  principles  of  Inter- 
national Law,  Cambridge:  the  University  Press,  1894,  page 
?)(),  et  seq. 

^^  Robert  Ward:  An  Enquiry  into  the  Foundation  and 
History  of  the  Law  of  Nations  in  Europe  from  the  Romans  to 
the  Age  of  Gr otitis,  Dublin,  1795,  Volume  IL,  page  374. 
Theodore  Ayrault  Dodge:  Gustavus  Adolphus,  New  York 
and  Boston,  1895,  pages  68,  399. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXvH 

book.     Grotius  proposed  for  the  peaceful  settling  of 

national  disagreements  arbitration  and  congresses 

of  Christian  nations.     He  wrote  :^^ 

"Another    way    is    compromise,    or    arbitration, 

between    parties    who    have    no    common    judge. 
*     *     * 

"But  especially  are  Christian  kings  and  states 
bound  to  try  this  way  of  avoiding  war.  For  if,  in 
order  to  avoid  being  subject  to  the  judgments  of 
persons  who  were  not  of  the  true  religion,  certain 
arbiters  were  appointed  both  by  the  Jews  and  by 
the  Christians,  and  the  practice  is  commanded  by 
Paul;  how  much  more  is  this  to  be  done,  in  order 
to  avoid  a  much  greater  inconvenience,  namely, 
war.     *     *     * 

"  And  both  for  this  reason  and  for  others,  it 
would  be  useful,  and  indeed,  it  is  almost  necessary, 
that  certain  Congresses  of  Christian  Powers  should 
be  held,  in  which  the  controversies  which  arise 
among  some  of  them  may  be  decided  by  others  who 
are  not  interested;  and  in  which  measures  may  be 
taken  to  compel  the  parties  to  accept  peace  on 
equitable  terms.  This  was  the  office  of  the  Druids 
of  old  among  the  Gauls,  as  Diodorus  and  Strabo 
tell  us:    and  we  read  that  the  Prankish  Kings  left 

^'  Hugonis  Grotii  De  Jure  Belli  ct  Pads.  Accompanied 
by  an  abridged  translation  by  William  Whewell,  D.D., 
edited  for  the  Syndics  of  the  University  Press,  Cambridge, 
1853:    Book  II.,  Chapter  XXIII.,  Section  8,  Articles  1,  3,  4. 


XXVm  INTRODUCTION. 

to  their  nobles  the  judgment  of  questions  concern- 
ing the  division  of  the  Kingdom." 

The  great  Hollander  saw  his  plan  seeking  to  place 
some  limit  to  war  put  into  partial  execution  during 
his  lifetime  in  assemblages  of  delegates  at  Munster 
and  Osnerbrook,  from  which  deliberations  resulted 
three  years  after  his  death  the  Peace  of  Westphalia 
that  ended  the  Thirty  Years'  War,  and  formally  rec- 
ognized as  sovereign  nations  the  Swiss  Confederation 
and  the  United  Netherlands,  and  proclaimed  to  the 
world  the  legal  status  within  the  Germanic  Empire 
of  the  Communions  of  Augsburg  and  Geneva  as  well 
as  that  of  Rome.^^  And  Grotius's  idea  was  still 
more  fully  realized  in  other  Congresses,  like  that 
of  Vienna  in  1815. 

Cruce's  bolder  and  more  practical  plan  to  avoid 
international  war  took  longer  to  mature  than  the 
more  general  idea  of  Grotius,  and  it  was  not  until 
two  and  three-quarter  centuries  after  it  was  first 
launched  on  the  world  that  it  was  realized  as  a  re- 
sult of  the  labors  of  the  First  Hague  Peace  Congress. 

His  proposal  that  the  initiative  to  have  an  inter- 
national Court  of  Ambassadors  set  up  at  Venice 
must  come  from  one  or  more  leading  sovereigns  of 
that  day,  found  its  counterpart  in  the  inception 
of  the  actual  International  Court  provided  with  a 

^°  John  Westlake:  International  Law,  Part  I,  Peace; 
Cambridge,  1904,  pages  44-45. — Alessandro  Corsi:  La  Con- 
fer enza  Diplomatica  di  La  Aja  e  le  Onoranze  ad  Ugo  Grozio; 
Pisa,  1900. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXIX 

quasi  home  at  the  Hague  through  the  lead  taken 
by  the  Emperor  Nicholas  the  Second,  in  calling 
upon  the  Nations  of  the  World  to  send  representa- 
tives to  the  First  Hague  Peace  Conference.^^  And 
while  the  International  Court  that  came  out  of  the 
deliberations  of  that  first  Hague  Conference  in  1899 
may  not  be  the  best  nor  the  final  form  that  an 
International  Court  of  the  Nations  will  take,  yet 
in  its  actual  settling  of  several  important  disputes 
between  sovereign  nations,  it  is  a  concrete  reali- 
zation of  the  plan  of  Emeric  Cruce  for  setting  up 
such  an  International  Court  to  judge  between  the 
sovereign  powers  of  the  world  at  Venice. 

It  was  not,  however,  only  in  a  branch  of  the  then 
nascent  science  of  the  Law  of  Nations  that  Cruce 
took  an  interest.  His  mental  horizon  took  in  many 
other  things.  He  favored  an  international  system 
of  weights  and  measures  in  place  of  the  hopeless 
diversity  then  existing  and  still  existing,  in  spite  of 
the  adoption  of  the  metric  system  by  many  nations, 
in  those  two  essentials  of  human  society.  He  had 
respect  for  scholars ;  and  also  he  urged  the  need  of 
some  public  education  for  children.  He  proposed 
that  the  school  children  should  be  taught  physical 
accomplishments  like  riding,  swimming,  and  the 
use  of  arms.  He  held  the  modern  Anglo-Saxon 
idea  of  duelling,  a  standard  of  civilization  to  which 

^^  James  Brown  Scott :  The  Hague  Peace  Conferences  of 
i8gg  and  igoy:   Baltimore,  1909,  Volume  I.,  pages  39,  736. 


XXX  INTRODUCTION. 

most  of  the  continental  nations  of  Europe  have 
not  as  yet  risen.  He  also  urged  that  local  magis- 
trates should  deal  justly  towards  foreigners. 

Having  given  evidently  much  time  to  the  study 
of  the  great  monetary  law — that  two  moneys 
of  unequal  value  cannot  be  kept  in  circulation 
together,  because  the  poorer  forces  out  the  better — 
Emeric  Cruc^  in  the  Nouveau  Cyn6e  devotes  much 
of  the  latter  part  of  the  book  to  show  the  great 
importance  for  a  properly  regulated  State  to  main- 
tain a  stable  and  honest  currency.  Though  he  is 
in  no  way  an  original  expounder,  like  Oresme, 
Copernicus  or  Gresham  before  him,^^  of  that  sub- 
ject, and  he  does  not  possess  the  absolutely  clear 
and  firm  grasp  of  the  great  law  of  money  that 
those  three  master  minds  did,  yet  at  all  times  he 
seeks  to  throw  the  weight  of  his  influence  on  the 
right  side  in  that  ever  important  question.  How 
pertinently  does  he  point  out,  in  the  following 
sentence,  the  close  connection  between  money  as 
the  standard  of  exchange  and  all  commerce? 

"Now  in  as  much  as  commerce  and  the  inter- 
communication of  the  peoples  are  maintained  by 
means  of  money,  which  goes  from  one  place  to 
another,  it  is  necessary  to  regulate  the  price, 
weight,  and  its  law,  with  the  fixed  resolve  to  start 

^^  Thomas  Willing  Balch:  "  The  Law  of  Oresme,  Copernicus 
and  Gresham:  A  paper  read  before  the  American  Philo- 
sophical Society,  April  23rd,  1908;   Philadelphia,   1908. 


INTRODUCTION.  XXXI 

nothing  new  in  those  things,  for  any  pretext  what- 
soever: for  if  there  is  uncertainty  in  the  exchange 
or  in  the  quality  of  the  money,  the  contracts  will 
be  uncertain  and  no  one  will  ever  be  assured  of 
what  he  will  have." 

He    evidently    read    much    the    ancient    authors 
and  speaks  of  the  works  of  Plato,  Aristotle,  Livy, 
Pliny  and  other  of  the  ancients.     He  also  studied 
his  nearer  predecessors,  and  refers  several  times  to 
the  work  of  Jean  Bodin,  an  Angevin  lawyer,  whose 
chief  book,  Les  Six  Livres  de  la  Republique,  a  trea- 
tise dealing  with   the   Commonwealth   and  replete 
with  learning,  was  first  published  at  Paris  in  1577. 
A  practical  minded  man,  in  many  respects  ahead 
of  his  time,   Emeric  Cruce  was  no  mere  ordinary 
individual.     This  book,  Le  Nouveau  Cynee,  is  w^ell 
worth  consulting  by  modern  publicists.     Especially 
his  early  proposal  in  the  rough  of  an  International 
Court   of   the   Nations   which   has   since,   two   and 
three-quarter  centuries  later,  found  concrete  reali- 
zation in   The   Hague   International   Court,   which 
gives  every  promise  of  life  and  vitality,  should  earn 
for  him,  in   spite  of  some  limitations  in  other  di- 
rections,   an    honorable    place    among    the    names 
that  hold  high  position  among  the  scholars  who 
from    the    time    of    Albericus    GentiHs    and    Hugo 
Grotius,  and  on  through  Zouche,  Pufendorf,   Byn- 
kershoek,    Wheaton,    and    others,    have   helped    to 
evolute  the  science  of  the  Law  of  Nations. 


PREFACE. 


PREFACE. 

Ce  liure  feroit  volontiers  le  tour  de  la  terre 
habitable,  afin  d'estre  veu  de  tous  les  Roys,  & 
ne  craindroit  point  aucune  disgrace,  ayant  la 
verite  pour  escorte,  &  le  merite  de  son  subiect, 
qui  luy  doit  seruir  de  lettres  de  recommandation 
&  de  creance.  L'Autheur  ne  ressemble  pas  a 
I'ingenieur  Dinocrate,  qui  auiot  de  beaux  dessins, 
&  releuez,  mais  inutiles.  II  porte  les  voeux  & 
desirs  des  gens  de  bien,  il  presente  vn  aduis  salu- 
taire,  dont  I'execution  depend  de  ceux  qui  tien- 
nent  le  ressort  des  affaires  de  monde.  II  ne  taxe 
II  personnel  il  flatte]  encore  moins,  &  on  ne  peut 
dire  qu'il  se  soit  fouruoye  de  chemin  de  la  verite, 
pour  r amour  de  son  pays  ou  de  sa  religion,  bien 
que  ces  deux  characteres  soient  tellement  grauez 
dans  son  ame,  que  la  mort  mesmes  n'est  pas  cap- 
able de  les  effacer.  Son  but  n'est  pas  de  decider 
les  controuerses,  ny  defaire  vn  Panegyrique  ou 
inuective.  II  laisse  ces  discours  aux  Theologiens 
&  orateurs,  &  toutesfois  desireroit  qu'ils  employ- 
assent  leur  eloquence  &  plume  doree  en  ceste 
matiere  si  noble  &  importante.  Plusieurs  triom- 
phent  d'expliquer  les  mysteres  de  la  religion,  & 
de  les  prouuer  contre  les  mescreans  par  authori- 
tez   irreproachables.     Cela    est   bon:    mais    il   faut 


PREFACE. 

This  book  would  willingly  make  the  round  of 
the  habitable  world,  so  as  to  be  seen  by  all  the 
Kings,  and  would  not  fear  any  disgrace,  having 
truth  for  its  escort,  and  the  merit  of  its  subject, 
which  must  serve  as  letters  of  recommendation 
and  credence.  The  author  does  not  resemble 
Dinocrate,  the  engineer,  who  had  beautiful  de- 
signs and  reliefs,  but  useless.  He  carries  the 
hopes  and  desires  of  good  people,  he  represents  a 
salutary  advice,  the  execution  of  which  depends 
upon  those  who  hold  the  trigger  of  the  affairs  of  the 
world.  He  taxes  no  one:  he  flatters  still  less,  and 
it  cannot  be  said  that  he  has  wandered  from  the 
path  of  truth,  for  the  love  of  his  country  or  of  his 
religion,  even  though  these  two  characteristics  are 
so  thoroughly  ingrained  in  his  soul,  that  even 
death  itself  is  not  able  to  efface  them.  His  object 
is  not  to  decide  controversies,  nor  make  a  panegyric 
or  invective.  He  leaves  these  discourses  to  the 
Theologians  and  orators,  and  in  any  case  would 
desire  that  they  should  employ  their  eloquence 
and  golden  pen  in  this  so  noble  and  important 
matter.  Several  triumph  in  explaining  the  mys- 
teries of  religion,  and  in  proving  them  against  mis- 
creants   by    irreproachable    authorities.      That    is 


3  PREFACE. 

auant  toute  chose  desraciner  le  vice  le  plus  commun 
&  qui  est  la  source  de  tous  les  autres,  h  sgauoir 
rinhumanite.  Car  I'heresie  ne  se  trouue  pas  en  tout 
age  ny  en  toutes  nations.     L'atheisme  est  encore 

III  plus  rare,  &  n'y  a  homme  si  brutal]  ou  opiniastre 
qui  regardant  le  ciel  ne  soit  contrainct  de  con- 
fesser  vne  diuinite.  Nous  voyons  vne  infinite 
d'hommes,  qui  ne  s'estiment  obligez  de  croire 
sinon  ce  que  la  raison  leur  monstre,  par  le  moyen 
de  laquelle  ils  recognoissent  bien  vn  Dieu,  ma  is 
ils  ne  peuuent  consentir  aux  autres  articles  de 
la  foy,  pource  qu'ils  n'en  sont  esclaircis  par  ceste 
lumiere  naturelle  laquelle  doibt  regler,  disentils, 
toutes  persuasions,  &  opinions,  non  pas  y  estre 
assubiectie.  Neantmoins  ils  n'oseroient  se  des- 
couurir  &  s'accommodent  exterieurement  a  la 
creance  &  coustume  de  leur  pays,  de  peur  d' estre 
descriez  comme  atheistes,  encore  que  veritable - 
ment  ils  ne  le  soient  pas,  &  seroit  plus  h  propos 
de  les  nommer  incredules,  dautant  qu'ils  ne  suiuent 
que  la  raison,  &  mesprisent  la  foy  theologale  comme 
si  c'estoit  vne  vertu  imaginaire.  Le  nombre  de 
telles  gens  s'augmente  tous  les  iours.     Car  on  ne 

IV  croit  plus  aysement  aux  esjcrits  ny  aux  paroles, 
&  plusieurs  regoiuent  des  propositions  pour  in- 
dubitables  eh  leur  ieunesse,  qui  leur  sont  par  apres 
fort  suspectes,  quand  ils  viennent  h  faire  vne  re- 
flexion en  eux  mesmes,  &  k  considerer  1 'oracle 
du  Royal  Prophete:  que  tout  homme  est  suiect  b, 
mentir.     C'est   pourquoy   les   plus    renommez   pre- 


PREFACE.  4 

good:  but  it  is  necessary  before  everything  else 
to  uproot  the  most  common  vice  and  the  one  which 
is  the  source  of  all  the  others,  namely,  inhumanity. 
For  heresy  is  not  to  be  found  in  all  ages  nor  among 
all  nations.  Atheism  is  still  rarer,  and  there  is  no 
man  so  brutal  or  opinionated  who  looking  at  heaven 
is  not  forced  to  confess  a  divinity.  We  see  an 
infinity  of  men,  who  do  not  consider  themselves 
obliged  to  believe  except  what  reason  shows  them, 
whereby  they  recognize  indeed  a  God,  but  they 
cannot  consent  to  the  other  articles  of  the  creed, 
because  they  are  not  enlightened  by  that  natural 
light  which  must  regulate,  they  say,  every  per- 
suasion, and  opinion,  and  not  be  bound  by  them. 
Nevertheless,  they  do  not  dare  to  reveal  them- 
selves and  they  conform  outwardly  to  the  belief 
and  custom  of  their  country,  for  fear  of  being  de- 
scribed as  atheists,  while  in  truth  they  are  not,  and 
it  would  be  more  to  the  point  to  call  them  incred- 
ulous, since  they  only  follow  reason,  and  spurn 
theological  faith  as  if  it  were  only  an  imaginary 
virtue.  The  number  of  such  people  augments 
every  day.  For  one  no  longer  believes  easily  in 
writings  nor  in  words,  and  many  receive  in  their 
youth  propositions  as  indubitable,  which  later  are 
very  suspicious  to  them,  when  they  come  to  think 
it  over,  and  to  consider  the  oracle  of  the  Royal 
Prophet:  that  every  man  is  liable  to  lie.  It  is  for 
that    reason    that    the    most    renowned    preachers 


"5  PREFACE. 

dicateurs  voyans  qu'vne  doctrine  si  esloignee 
du  sens  commun  k  peu  d'effect  pour  esmouuior 
les  esprits  de  nostre  temps,  n'ont  rien  de  plus 
recommandable  en  leurs  exhortations,  que  la 
direction  des  moeurs,  attendu  que  c'est  vne 
belle  disposition  k  la  piete,  laquelle  se  loge  plus 
facilement  &  denieure  bien  plus  femie  en  1' esprit 
d'vn  homme  de  bien,  qu'en  celuy  d'vn  meschant, 
qui  ne  croit  en  Dieu  que  par  boutade  ou  accous- 
tumance.  Peut-on  autrement  iuger  d'vn  medisant, 
trompeur,  &  meurtrier  ordinaire  ?    Est-il  vraysembla- 

V  ble  qu'ils  croient  vn  enfer,]  qu'ils  ayent  bonne 
opinion  de  rimmortalite  de  I'ame.  Quelque  mine 
qu'ils  f assent,  ils  ne  le  persuaderont  iamais:  au 
contraire  ils  donneront  subiects  aux  estrangers 
de  reuoquer  en  doute  le  merite  de  leur  creance. 
Les  Tart  ares  auoient  resolu  d'embrasser  le  Chris- 
tianisme  du  temps  de  sainct  Loys,  mais  ils  en  per- 
dirent  I'enuie  quand  ils  furent  aduertis  des  mes- 
chancetez  que  commettoient  les  chrestiens. 
Sgauoir  si  leur  consideration  estoit  receuable  ou 
non  c'est  vne  question  que  ie  n' en  tame  point. 
Tant  y  a  que  la  religion  ne  se  peut  bien  entretenir 
que  par  la  preud'  hommie  &  vertu  morale,  k  la- 
quelle il  faut  exhorter  les  grands  &  les  petits,  les 
Roys  &  les  peuples,  sans  s'arrester  si  longuement 
k  ces  disputes  scholastiques,  qui  font  plus  de  bruit 
que  de  fruict.  Ie  S9ay  qu'il  est  besoing  de  refuter 
les  heresies,  mais  ie  n'en  trouue  point  de  plus  grande, 
que   I'erreur   de    ceux   qui   mettent   la   souueraine 

VI     glorie     en     I'iniustijce,     &    ne    recognoissent    rien 


PREFACE.  6 

seeing  that  a  doctrine  so  far  removed  from  common 
sense  has  little  effect  to  move  the  thoughts  of  our 
time,  have  nothing  better  to  recommend  in  their 
exhortations,  than  the  direction  of  morals,  since 
it  is  a  good  tendency  towards  piety,  which  lodges 
more  easily  and  remains  much  more  firmly  in  the 
soul  of  a  good  man,  than  in  that  of  a  bad  one,  who 
only  believes  in  God  by  whim  or  custom.  Can  one 
judge  otherwise  of  an  ordinary  slanderer,  deceiver 
and  murderer?  Is  it  likely  that  they  believe  in 
hell,  that  they  have  a  good  opinion  of  the  immor- 
tality of  the  soul?  Whatever  position  they  may 
assume,  they  will  never  persuade  anyone:  on  the 
contrary  they  will  give  cause  to  strangers  to  place 
in  doubt  the  merit  of  their  belief.  The  Tatars 
had  resolved  to  embrace  Christianity  in  the  time 
of  Saint  Louis,  but  they  lost  the  desire  when  they 
were  informed  of  the  wicked  things  that  the  Chris- 
tians committed.  To  know  whether  their  consid- 
eration was  admissible  or  not  is  a  question  that  I 
do  not  enter  on.  However,  religion  cannot  well 
maintain  itself  except  by  goodness  and  moral 
virtue,  to  which  should  be  exhorted  the  great  and 
the  little,  the  Kings  and  the  peoples,  without 
waiting  so  long  over  those  scholastic  disputes,  which 
make  more  noise  than  they  do  good.  I  know  that 
it  is  necessary  to  refute  heresies,  but  I  do  not  find 
a  greater  one  than  the  error  of  those  who  place  the 
sovereign  glory  in  injustice,  and  recognize  nothing 


7  PREFACE. 

de  loiiable  que  les  armes.     Esperons-nous   de  voir 

aucun  aduancement  en   la  religion,  ou  tranquillite 

en  I'estat,   tant   que   ceste   damnable  opinion  sera 

receue?     Et  neantmoins   on  la  laisse   couler   dans 

les  esprits,  on  n'en  parle  non  plus  que  si  elle  n'im- 

portoit  aucunement:    au  contraire  il  semble  qu'on 

I'approuue  par  vn  silence  &  consentement  tacite. 

Ce   qui   m'a   occasionne   de   mettre   au   iours   cest 

aduertissemens  &  conseil  pacifique,  que  le  Lecteur 

trouuera  a  nouueau,  s'il  considere  la  forme  de  son 

oeconomie,  &  I'estendue  de  la  matiere  qu'il  traicte. 

La  paix  est  vn  subiect  triuial  ie  le  confesse,  mais 

on   ne   la   pourchasse    qu'a    demy.     Quelques   vns 

y   exhortent  les   Princes   Chrestiens,    afin   que  par 

leur    vnion    ils    se    fortifient    contre    leur    ennemy 

commun:     &    mesmes    vn    fametLx    personnage    a 

monstre  les   moyens   d'exterminer  les   Turcs   dans 

VII     quatre  ans  ou  enuiron,   &  plujsieurs  autres  belles 

conceptions  qui  sont  fort  ay  sees  a  mettre  par  escrit. 

II  y  en  a  qui  limitent  encore  plus  leur  stile,  ils  don- 

nent  des  inuentions  pour  policer  &  enrichir  leur  pays, 

&  se  soucient  si  peu  des  estrangers,  qu'ils  estiment 

vne   prudence    politique   de    semer  parmy  eux  des 

diuisions,    afin    de    iouyr    d'vn  repos  plus  asseure. 

Mais  ie  suis  bien  d'vn  autre  aduis,  &  me  semble 

quand   on   voit   brusler   ou   tomber   la   maison   de 

son  voisin  qu'on  a  subiect  de  crainte,  autant  que 

de  compassion,  veu  que  la  societe  humaine  est  vn 

corps,  dont  tous  les  membres  ont  vne  sympathie, 


PREFACE.  8 

as  praiseworthy  except  the  profession  of  arms. 
Can  we  hope  for  any  advance  in  religion,  or  tran- 
quihty  in  the  State,  so  long  as  this  damnable  opin- 
ion shall  be  received?  Nevertheless  it  is  allowed 
to  percolate  into  men's  minds,  it  is  spoken  of  just 
as  if  it  was  of  no  importance  whatsoever:  on  the 
contrary  it  seems  as  if  it  were  approved  by  silence 
and  tacit  consent.  This  has  led  me  to  bring  out 
this  advice  and  counsels  for  peace,  which  the  reader 
will  find  new,  if  he  considers  the  form  of  its  state- 
ment, and  the  extent  of  the  matter  of  which  it 
treats.  Peace  is  a  trivial  subject  I  confess,  but  it 
is  only  half  searched  for.  Some  exhort  the  Chris- 
tian Princes  to  it,  in  order  that  by  their  union  they 
should  fortify  themselves  against  their  common 
enemy:  and  even  a  famous  personage  has  shown 
the  means  to  exterminate  the  Turks  in  four  years 
or  thereabouts,  and  several  other  beautiful  concep- 
tions that  are  very  easy  to  write  out.  There  are 
those  who  limit  even  more  their  style,  they  give 
inventions  to  police  and  enrich  their  countries,  and 
think  so  little  of  strangers,  that  they  consider  it  a 
prudent  policy  to  sow  among  them  dissensions, 
in  order  to  enjoy  a  more  assured  quiet.  But  I  am 
of  a  very  different  opinion,  and  it  seems  to  me  that 
when  you  see  the  house  of  your  neighbor  burning 
or  falling,  that  you  have  a  cause  for  fear,  as  much 
as  for  compassion,  since  human  society  is  one 
body,  of  which  all  the  members  are  in  sympathy  in 


9  PREFACE. 

de  maniere  qu'il  est  impossible  que  les  mal- 
adies de  I'vn  ne  se  communiquent  aiix  autres. 
Or  ce  petit  liure  contient  vne  police  vniuer- 
selle,  vtile  indifferemment  a  toutes  nations,  & 
agreable  a  ceux  qui  ont  quelque  lumiere  de 
raison,  &  sentiment  d'hiimanit^.  Quand  aux] 
VIII  autres,  ie  preuoy  qu'  ils  ne  liront  point  le  present 
discours,  ou  qu'ils  n'en  tiendront  compte,  prin- 
cipalement  ces  ambitievix  guerriers,  qui  nous  ap- 
pellent  par  mespris  gens  de  plimie  8c  d'escritoire, 
&  pour  raualler  nostre  honneur,  nous  chantent  ceste 
vieille  maxime.  Qu'il  vaut  mieux  jaire  que  dire. 
Ce  que  ie  leur  accorde  librement,  pourueu  que 
les  actions  soient  bonnes,  &  non  brut  ales.  Vn 
temps  a  est 6  que  i'eusse  autrement  respondu  k 
ces  faiseurs  Ik.  Maintenant  qu'ils  se  contentent 
de  ceste  interpretation,  Ie  n'escris  point  aux  bar- 
bares  &  ignorans  qui  se  scandalizeront  de  cest 
oeuure.  Les  esprits  trop  deliez  n'y  prendront 
point  aussi  de  goust,  &  le  compareront  peut-estre 
a  la  Republique  de  Platon  qui  ne  fut  iamais  qu'en 
ridee  &  imagination  de  son  Autheur.  Tou- 
tesfois  ceste  comparaison  ne  seroit  pas  propre, 
d'autant  qu'on  propose  icy  vne  chose  non  seule- 
IX  ment  possible,  mais]  aussi  de  laquelle  les  anciens 
ont  eu  I'experience.  Soubs  I'Empire  d'Auguste 
toutes  les  nations  estoient  pacifiees.  Et  du  regne 
de  Frangois  premier  on  a  veu  fleurir  la  paix 
quelques  annees  par  toute  1' Europe.  Qui  nous 
empesche     d'esperer    vn     bien,     dont     les     siecles 


PREFACE.  10 

such  a  manner  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  sick- 
nesses of  the  one  not  to  be  communicated  to  the 
others.  Now  this  Httle  book  contains  a  universal 
polity,  useful  indifferently  to  all  nations,  and  agree- 
able to  those  who  have  some  light  of  reason,  and 
sentiment  of  humanity.  As  for  the  others,  I  fore- 
see that  they  will  not  read  the  present  discourse, 
or  that  they  will  not  take  account  of  it,  principally 
those  ambitious  warriors,  who  call  us  in  disdain 
people  of  the  pen  and  of  the  inkhorn,  and  to  debase 
our  honor,  sing  to  us  this  old  maxim:  That  it  is 
better  to  do  than  to  say.  This  I  accord  to  them 
freely,  provided  that  the  actions  are  good,  and  not 
brutal.  There  was  a  time  when  I  would  have 
answered  otherwise  to  those  doers.  Now  let  them 
be  satisfied  with  this  interpretation.  I  do  not 
write  for  the  barbarians  and  ignoramuses  who  will 
be  scandalized  with  this  work.  Very  frivolous 
minds  also  will  not  relish  it,  and  will  compare  it 
perhaps  with  the  Republic  of  Pluto  which  never 
existed  but  in  the  mind  and  imagination  of  its 
author.  On  the  whole  this  comparison  will  not  be 
proper,  since  one  proposes  here  a  thing  not  only 
possible,  but  also  of  which  the  ancients  had  expe- 
rience. Under  the  Empire  of  Augustus  all  the 
Nations  were  pacified.  And  after  the  reign  of 
Francis  the  First,  peace  was  seen  to  flourish  for  a 
few  years  throughout  all  Europe.  Who  prevents 
us  from  hoping  for  a  good  thing,  which  past  cen- 


11  PREFACE. 

passez  ont  iouy?  le  croy  qu'il  n'y  a  rien  si  facile, 
que  cest  affaire,  si  les  Princes  Chrestiens  le  veulent 
entreprendre,  &  notamment  nostre  Hercule  Fran- 
cois, Loys  le  luste,  dont  le  sumom  me  donne  bon 
augure.  II  ne  faut  done  point  dire  que  les  propo- 
sitions qui  se  font  de  la  paix  vniuerselle  sont  Chi- 
meriques  &  mal  fondees.  Chacun  iugera  de  ce  liure 
selon  son  plaisir.  I'espere  qu'il  trouuera  place 
dans  le  cabinet  des  grands,  &  que  les  hommes  iu- 
dicieux  en  feront  estat,  malgre  I'enuie. 


PREFACE.  12 

turies  have  enjoyed?  I  believe  there  is  nothing  so 
easy,  as  this  matter,  if  the  Christian  Princes  will 
undertake  it,  and  notably  our  French  Hercules, 
Louis  the  Just,  whose  surname  gives  me  good 
augury.  It  must  not  be  said  then  that  the  prop- 
ositions that  are  made  for  universal  peace  are  chi- 
merical and  badly  based.  Every  one  will  judge 
of  this  book  according  to  his  pleasure.  I  hope  that 
it  will  find  a  place  in  the  study  of  the  great  and 
that  judicious  men  will  make  use  of  it  in  spite  of 
envy. 


EXTRAICT    DU    PRIUILEGE 
DU    ROY. 


X  Par  grace  &  Priuilege  du  Roy  donne  a  Paris  le 
26.  Nouembre.  1622,  signe  Hardy  &  selle.  II 
est  permis  k  lacques  Villery  Libraire  d'Imprimer 
vn  liure  intitule,  Le  Nouueau  Cyme,  &  defences 
k  toutes  personnes  de  le  faire  imprimer  sans  le 
conge  &  consentement  dudit  Villery,  par  I'espace 
de  six  ans  entiers  k  compter  du  iour  des  presentes 
comme  plus  amplement  il  est  porte  par  ledit 
Priuilege. 


(13) 


EXTRACT  FROM  THE  PRIVILEGE  OF 
THE   KING. 


By  grace  and  privilege  of  the  King  given  at  Paris 
the  26.  November.  1622,  signed  Hardy  and  sealed. 
Permission  is  given  to  Jacques  Villery,  publisher,  to 
print  a  book  entitled.  The  New  Cyneas,  and  for- 
bidden for  all  persons  to  have  it  printed  without 
the  leave  and  consent  of  the  said  Villery,  for  the 
space  of  six  entire  years  counting  from  the  present 
day  as  it  is  given  more  fully  by  the  said  Privilege. 


(14) 


LE  NOVVEAV  CYNEE 

ov 

DISCOVRS  DES  OCCASIONS  ET  MOYENS 

D  ESTABLIR    VNE    PaIX    GeNERALE,    &    LA    LiBERTE    DU    COM- 
MERCE  Par  Tout   le   Monde. 


Aux  Monarques  &  Princes  Souuerains 

de  ce  temps. 
Je  ne  deuois  pas  addresser  ce  discours  au  vul- 
gaire,  qui  ne  vit  qu'a  patron,  &  n'a  aucune  reigle 
en  ses  actions;  encore  moins  aux  hommes  violens, 
qui  se  mocquent  de  toute  honnestete,  &  ne  font 
estat  que  de  la  force.  C'est  de  vos  grandeurs]  que 
ce  petit  liuret  attend  vn  fauorable  accueil,  c'est 
entre  vos  mains  qu'il  se  iette  Tres-hauts,  Tres- 
puissans  &  Inuincihles  Monarques.  le  croy  certes 
que  vos  maiestez  n'ont  besoing  de  nouueau  con- 
seil,  &  que  Dieu  vous  ayant  esleue  a  vn  si  haut 
degre  d'honneur,  vous  en  a  donne  pareillement 
le  merite.  Mais  d'autant  que  les  aduis  prouenans 
d'vn  esprit  candide  &  non  suspect,  sont  ordinaire- 
ment  bien  receus,  &  qu'vne  fortune  quoy  qu'elle 
soit  grande  est  subiette  a  changement,  i'ay  pense 
qu'il  ne  seroit  hors  de  saison  de  vous  representer 
auec  toute  humilite  les  moyens  d'asseurer  vostre 
estat  par  I'establissement  d'vne  paix  vniuerselle. 
S'il  ne  s'agissoit  en  cela  de  vostre  interest  par- 
ticulier,  celuy  du  public  suffiroit  pour  vous  exhorter 

(15) 


THE  NEW  CYNEAS 


DISCOURSE    OF    THE    OCCASIONS    AND    MEANS 

To  Establish  a  General  Peace,  and  the  Liberty  of 
Commerce  Throughout  the  Whole  World. 


To  the  Monarchs  and  Sovereign  Princes 

of  the  present  time. 

I  should  not  address  this  discourse  to  the  vul- 
garian, who  depends  upon  a  master,  and  has  no 
rule  for  his  actions;  still  less  to  violent  men,  who 
mock  at  all  honesty,  and  who  only  use  force.  It 
is  from  you  great  ones  that  this  little  book  awaits 
a  favorable  reception,  it  is  in  your  hands  that  it 
throws  itself  Very  high,  Very-powerful  and  Invin- 
cible Monarchs.  I  believe  truly  that  your  Majes- 
ties have  no  need  of  new  advice,  and  that  God  hav- 
ing raised  you  to  so  high  a  degree  of  honor,  gave 
you  also  the  ability  to  fill  it.  But  since  advices 
coming  from  a  mind  candid  and  not  open  to  sus- 
picion, are  generally  well  received,  and  that  a  for- 
tune even  though  great  is  subject  to  change,  I 
have  thought  that  it  would  not  be  out  of  season  to 
present  to  you,  with  all  humility,  the  means  to  as- 
sure your  state  by  the  establishment  of  a  universal 
peace.  If  your  private  interest  was  not  concerned 
thereby,  that  of  the  public  would  suffice  to  exhort 

(16) 


17  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

d'auoir  conpassion  du  genre  humain,  qui  d'vne 
voix  commune  vous  demande  la  paix,  &  vous 
coniure  par  la  consideration  de  vous  mesmes, 
d' arrester  le  cours  de  ses  miseres,  &  de  mettre  fin 
aux  abus  que  la  fureur  des  armes  a  cy  deuant 
produict.  Ceste  request e  est  ciuile.  II  est  plus 
raisonnable  d'y  auoir  esgrad,  qu'aux  passions  des- 
reglees  de]  ces  guerriers,  qui  k  I'exemple  des  an- 
ciens  Perses  ne  se  figurent  dans  le  tableau  de  leur 
esprit  que  des  batailles  8c  victoires,  qui  se  parent 
de  la  liuree  d'vne  malediction,  &  mettent  la  sou- 
ueraine  gloire  en  I'iniustice,  &  oppression  des 
hommes.  le  ne  m'amuseray  point  k  declamer 
contre  telles  gens,  dont  le  naturel  est  prodigieuse- 
ment  peruers.  II  suffira  de  remarquer  les  causes 
de  la  guerre;  on  trouuera  dequoy  deplorer  I'a- 
ueuglement  de  ceux  qui  exercent  tant  de  cruaute 
les  vns  contre  les  autres  pour  occasions  si  friuoles. 
Mais  au  prealable  ie  feray  protestation  de  ne  parler 
des  tumultes  &  esmotions  ciuiles,  afin  que  les 
seditieux  ne  pensent  pas  trouuer  vne  Apologie 
pour  maintenir  leur  reuolte,  ny  pretendre  vne 
paix,  dont  ils  sont  indignes  s'ils  ne  recognoissent 
leur  Souuerain,  &  s'ils  ne  renoncent  a  leurs  fac- 
tions. Laissant  done  a  parr  ces  mutineries  dont 
nous  parlerons  en  autre  endroict,  ie  diray  que 
les  guerres  estrangeres  s'entreprennent  pour 
I'honneur,  ou  pour  le  proffit,  ou  pour  repara- 
tion de  quelque  tort,  ou  bien  pour  I'exercice. 
On  pourroit  adiouster  la]   religion,    si   I'experience 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  18 

you  to  have  compassion  on  mankind,  which  with 
one  voice  demands  of  you  peace,  and  begs  of  you 
by  your  own  considerations  to  arrest  the  course  of 
its  miseries,  and  to  put  an  end  to  the  abuses  which 
the  fury  of  arms  has  up  to  now  produced.  This 
request  is  civil.  It  is  more  reasonable  to  have 
regard  to  it  than  to  the  unruly  passions  of  those 
warriors,  who,  following  the  example  of  the  an- 
cient Persians,  picture  only  in  their  minds  battles 
and  victories,  who  adorn  themselves  with  the 
livery  of  malediction,  and  place  sovereign  glory  in 
injustice,  and  the  oppression  of  men.  I  shall  not 
amuse  myself  in  declaiming  against  such  people, 
whose  nature  is  tremendously  perverse.  It  will  suf- 
fice to  note  the  causes  of  war;  one  will  find  enough 
to  deplore  in  the  blindness  of  those  who  commit 
so  much  cruelty  against  one  another  for  such  friv- 
olous reasons.  But  as  a  beginning  I  must  explain 
that  I  do  not  speak  of  civil  tumults  and  commo- 
tions, so  that  seditious  persons  shall  not  think 
they  can  find  an  apology  for  maintaining  their  re- 
volts, nor  pretend  to  a  peace,  of  which  they  are 
unworthy  if  they  do  not  recognize  their  sovereign, 
and  if  they  do  not  renounce  their  disputes.  Leav- 
ing then  to  one  side  these  mutinies  of  which  we 
shall  speak  in  another  place,  I  would  say  that 
foreign  wars  are  undertaken  either  for  honor  or 
profit,  or  for  the  reparation  of  some  wrong,  or  else 
for   exercise.     One   could   add   religion,    if   experi- 


19  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

n'eust  fait  cognoistre  qu'elle  sert  le  plus  souuent  de 
pretexte.  le  ne  fais  point  aussi  mention  de  la  neces- 
site,  laquelle  a  iadis  contrainct  plusieurs  nations 
de  sortir  en  troupe  de  leur  pays,  &  chercher  par 
force  nouuelles  demeures.  De  Ik  viennent  tant 
de  colonies  mentionnees  dans  les  histoires;  mais 
auiourd'huy  ces  desbordemens  de  peuples  sont 
rares,  tellement  que  nous  ne  pouuons  recognoistre 
d'autres  fins  &  causes  mouuantes  de  la  guerre 
sinon  les  quatre  cy  dessus  specifiees,  dont  la  pre- 
miere est  la  plus  commune,  &  semble  la  plus  legi- 
time. Car  si  le  desir  d'honneur  est  naturel  a  vne 
ame  genereuse,  il  est  bien  scant  qu'elle  le  cherche 
dans  I'exercice  des  armes,  puisque  toute  la  gloire 
en  depend  selon  le  iugement  commun,  auquel  ce 
seroit  folic  de  contreuenir.  Tous  les  peuples  s'ac- 
cordent  en  cela,  &  les  coustumes  tant  anciennes 
que  modemes  ont  tousiours  defere  aux  soldats 
le  priuilege  de  noblesse  &  de  commandement, 
en  sorte  que  I'honneur  des  autres  estats  &  perfec- 
tions se  temit  au  lustre  esclatant  de  la  vertu]  mili- 
taire.  La  pluspart  des  Princes  s'accommodant 
h  c'est  erreur  ne  prise  rien  que  les  armes.  Ce  mal 
n'est  pas  d'auiourd'huy.  L'Empereur  Seuere  com- 
mandoit  h  ses  enfans  d'enrichir  les  soldats  &  mes- 
priser  tout  le  reste.  Et  le  Roy  d'Albanie  Pyr- 
rhus  interroge  k  qui  il  laisseroit  son  Royaume, 
A  celuy,  dit-il,  qui  aura  meilleure  espee.  Mais 
ces  paroles  sentent  la  barbaric  &  brutalite. 
Ausquelles  nous  pouuons  opposer  I'authorite 
de   ce    braue     Roy     Lacedemonien,     qui     estimoit 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  20 

ence  had  not  made  known  that  this  serves  most 
often  as  a  pretext.  I  make  also  no  mention  of 
the  necessity,  which  has  formerly  forced  several 
nations  to  leave  their  countries  in  a  mass,  and  find 
by  force  new  homes.  From  this  cause  spring  so 
many  of  the  colonies  mentioned  in  the  histories: 
but  to-day  these  overflows  of  peoples  are  rare,  so 
much  so  that  we  cannot  recognize  other  ends  and 
moving  causes  of  war  other  than  the  four  above 
specified,  of  which  the  first  is  the  most  common, 
and  seems  the  most  legitimate.  For  if  the  desire  of 
honor  is  natural,  to  a  generous  soul  it  is  becoming 
that  it  should  seek  it  in  the  exercise  of  arms,  since 
all  glory  depends  upon  it  according  to  public  judg- 
ment, to  which  it  would  be  folly  to  go  counter. 
All  peoples  agree  in  that,  and  the  customs  both 
ancient  and  modern,  have  always  granted  to  sol- 
diers the  privilege  of  nobility  and  command,  so  that 
the  honor  of  other  stations  and  perfections  becomes 
dim  before  the  brilliant  luster  of  military  virtue. 
The  greater  number  of  princes  accepting  this  error, 
prize  nothing  but  arms.  This  evil  is  not  of  to-day. 
The  Emperor  Severus  ordered  his  children  to  en- 
rich the  soldiers  and  disdain  all  the  others.  And 
the  King  of  Albania,  Pyrrhus,  when  questioned  to 
whom  he  would  leave  his  kingdom,  to  him,  he  said, 
who  has  the  best  sword.  But  these  words  savor  of 
barbarity  and  brutality.  To  which  we  can  oppose 
the  authority  of  that  brave  Lacedemonian  King, 


21  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

plus  la  iustice  que  la  valeur,  disant  que  ceste 
vertu  n'estoit  aucunement  necessaire  quand  la  raison 
&  preud'hommie  auoient  lieu.  Et  de  fait  quelle 
apparence  y  a-il  d'estimer  tant  vne  chose,  qui  ne 
se  vante  sinon  de  faire  ce  que  les  plus  imbecilles 
animaux  peuuent  executer?  Car  de  nuire  &  tuer 
cest  vne  chose  facile. 

II  ne  faut  pour  c'est  effect  qu'vn  petit  aspic, 
vne  seule  mouche.  Ce  qui  deuroit  suffire  pour 
raualer  I'arrogance  de  ces  fendans  qui  se  glorifient 
d'en  auoir  tant  tue  es  rencontres  &  batailles.  C'est 
honneur,  disent-ils,  de  supplanter  son  ennemy. 
Et  auons  nous  d'autres  enjnemis  que  les  bestes 
farouches?  II  y  a  vne  aniitie  &  parente  entre  les 
hommes,  fondee  sur  vne  conformite  de  naturel 
&  de  figure.  Chacun  garde  volontiers  son  pour- 
traict,  &  prend  plasir  k  la  representation  de  ses 
lineamens  insensible:  Neantmoins  nous  n'espar- 
gnons  point  nos  viues  images ;  nous  f aisons  trophee 
de  miner  nos  senblables,  ce  pendant  que  nous 
quittons  honteusement  le  champ  de  bataille  aux 
Lyons,  Tygres,  Loups,  &  Serpens,  nos  ennemis 
naturels,  que  nous  n'osons  attendre  ny  attaquer 
sinon  auec  artifice,  h  la  facon  de  ceux  qui  se  sen- 
tans  trop  foibles  ont  recours  aux  finesses  &  sub- 
lilitez  pour  surprendre  leur  aduersaire.  Que  si 
ces  animaux  auoient  entre'eux  quelque  intelli- 
gence, ils  seroient  bastans  d'exterminer  dans  peu 
de  temps  les  hommes.  L'autan  a  autrefois  de- 
peupl6  quelques  regions  d'Afrique;  vne  multitude  de 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  22 

who  esteemed  justice  more  than  valor,  saying  that 
this  virtue  was  in  no  way  necessary  when  reason 
and  goodness  obtained.  And  in  fact  what  reason 
is  there  to  esteem  so  much  a  thing,  which  only 
boasts  of  doing  what  the  most  imbecile  animals 
can  carry  out?  For  to  injure  and  kill  is  an  easy 
thing. 

To  accomplish  this  one  needs  only  one  little 
viper,  one  single  fly.  Which  should  suffice  to  lower 
the  arrogance  of  those  braggarts  who  glorify  them- 
selves of  having  killed  so  many  in  encounters  and 
battles.  It  is  an  honor,  they  say,  to  down  one's 
enemy.  And  have  we  other  enemies  than  wild 
beasts?  There  is  an  amity  and  kinship  between 
men,  based  upon  a  conformity  of  nature  and  of 
figure.  Each  one  willingly  keeps  his  portrait,  and 
takes  pleasure  in  the  representation  of  his  features: 
Nevertheless  we  do  not  spare  our  living  images: 
we  glory  in  ruining  our  fellow  beings,  although  we 
shamefully  leave  the  field  of  battle  to  lions,  tigers, 
wolves,  and  serpents,  our  natural  enemies,  whom 
we  dare  not  wait  for  nor  attack  except  with  strata- 
gem in  the  manner  of  those  who  feeling  themselves 
too  feeble  have  recourse  to  artifices  and  stratagems 
in  order  to  surprise  their  adversary.  But  if  these 
animals  had  some  understanding  among  themselves, 
they  would  be  able  to  exterminate  in  a  short  time 
mankind.  The  bleak  wind  formerly  depopulated 
some    regions    of    Africa;    a    multitude    of    snakes 


23  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

serpens  a  ruineuneville,  &  Timportunite  des  rats 
&  grenouilles  a  chasse  certaines  nations  de  leur 
pays.  Que  sgauons-nous  si  Dieu  ne  se  seruira 
point  de  tels  instrumens  pour  punir  encore  nos 
iniquitez?]  Vrayement  il  y  a  bien  dequoy  faire 
parade  de  son  espee,  puis  qu'il  faut  si  peu  de  chose 
pour  nous  mettre  h  bas.  Nous  auons  grand  sub- 
iect  de  nous  preualoir  de  nostre  force,  puisqu'en 
icelles  les  bestes  ont  sur  nous  tant  d'aduantage, 
que  nous  pouuons  dire  iustement  que  c'est  la 
moindre  des  perfections  humaines,  &  par  con- 
sequent la  vaillance  vulgaire  qui  n'a  autre  fonde- 
ment  ny  appuy  que  la  force  ne  merite  pas  grande 
loiiange.  le  dis  vaillance  vulgaire,  afin  de  la 
distinguer  de  ceste  magnanimite,  qui  consiste  en 
vne  fermete  de  courage,  &  mespris  de  toutes  ad- 
uersitez.  Ce  sont  les  effects  de  la  vraye  vail- 
lance, repousser  I'iniure,  &  non  pas  la  faire;  en- 
durer  genereusement  la  mort  &  tous  autres  ac- 
cidens  quand  ils  se  presentent,  &  non  pas  les  aller 
chercher,  soubs  I'espoir  d'vne  honneur  ie  ne  scay 
quel,  dont  la  vanity  est  en  fin  recogneue  par  ceux 
qui  en  ont  fait  estat  toute  leur  vie.  Ne  voyons 
nous  pas  les  regrets  qu'ils  ont  en  mourant,  de 
s'estre  abandonnez  au  vent  d'vne  folle  opinion? 
II  font  alors  de  belle  remonstrances  accompagnees] 
d'vn  repentir.  Ten  ay  veu  quelques  vns  qui 
navrez  d'vn  coup  mortel  faisoient  protestation 
de  prendre  I'habit  religieux,  &  vacquer  h  la  de- 
uotion  le  reste  de  leurs  iours,  au  cas  qu'ils  reuins- 
sent    en     conualenscence.      II     est    vraysenblable, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  24 

ruined  a  city,  and  the  nuisance  of  rats  and  frogs 
has  chased  certain  nations  from  their  country. 
What  do  we  know  if  God  will  not  make  use  of  such 
instruments  to  punish  again  our  iniquities?  Truly 
there  is  precious  little  to  cause  one  to  display 
one's  sword,  since  it  takes  so  little  to  lay  us  low. 
Truly  we  have  but  small  reason  to  boast  of  our 
strength,  since  in  this  the  beasts  have  over  us  so 
much  advantage,  that  we  can  justly  say  that  it  is 
the  least  of  human  perfections,  and  consequently 
the  ordinary  bravery  which  has  no  other  founda- 
tion nor  support  than  force  does  not  merit  great 
commendation.  I  say  ordinary  bravery  in  order 
to  distinguish  it  from  that  magnanimity,  which 
consists  in  a  firm  courage,  and  disdain  of  all  adver- 
sity. The  effects  of  real  bravery  are  to  repel  in- 
jury, and  not  to  cause  it;  to  bear  generously  death 
and  all  other  accidents  when  they  present  them- 
selves, and  not  to  seek  for  them,  with  the  hope  of 
an  honor  I  do  not  know  which  the  vanity  whereof 
is  at  length  recognized  by  those  who  have  made 
much  thereof  all  their  life.  Do  we  not  see  the 
regrets  that  they  have  in  dying,  to  have  given  them- 
selves over  to  the  trend  of  a  foolish  notion?  They 
then  make  fine  renouncements  accompanied  with 
repentance.  I  have  seen  a  few  who  agonizing 
with  a  mortal  blow  protested  they  would  don  the 
religious  garb,  and  live  in  devotion  the  rest  of 
their  days,  in  case  they  became  convalescent.     It 


25  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

que  ceux  qui  meurent  aux  combats  ont  de  sembla- 
bles  pensees.  La  raison  frape  h  nostre  porte  k  toute 
heure,  &  nous  souffle  incessamment  aux  oreilles. 
II  n'est  plus  temps  de  la  receuoir  quand  il  faut 
sortir  de  ce  monde.  Et  en  cecy  nous  voyons  les 
malheur  des  hommes  qui  ne  recognoissent  leur 
faute  qu'en  extremite,  &  ne  se  rangent  point  a 
la  raison,  sinon  lors  quils  ne  peuuent  plus  mal 
faire.  L'opinion  commune  les  mene,  I'accoustu- 
mance  les  reigle,  &  1' ambition  les  aueugles  en  telle 
sorte,  qu'ils  foulent  aux  pieds  tout  respect,  ne 
se  soucient  de  Dieu  ny  des  hommes  pourueu  qu'ils 
facent  parleu  d'eux.  Mais  ils  sont  aucunefois  bien 
trompez.  Car  au  lieu  de  trouuer  la  reputation 
qu'ils  cherchent  &  de  mourir  au  lict  d'honneur, 
ils  tombent  en  vne  honteuse  seruitude  &  seruent 
de  ioiiet  a  leurs  ennemis.  Representons-nous  la 
condition  des  prisonniers  de  guerre,  les  affrons 
&  mocjqueries  qu'vn  simple  bourgeois  ou  manant 
de  village  ne  voudroit  endurer,  &  au  bout  de  cela 
souuentefois  vne  corde,  ou  quelque  autre  mort 
pleine  de  tourment  &  ignominie.  Neantmoins  ce 
sont  les  fruicts  ordinaires  de  la  guerre.  II  n'y  a 
Soldat,  Gentilhomme,  Capitaine,  &  chef  d'armee 
qui  ne  soit  subiet  a  ces  inconueniens.  Les  plus 
grands  Roy  &  Empereurs  n'en  sont  pas  exempts. 
Valerian,  Baudoiiin,  Tomabais,  Baiazeth,  Attaba- 
lippa,  &  autres  qui  finirent  miserablemet  leurs 
iours.  ont  laisse  vne  belle  legon  aux  Princes,  pour 
apprendre  qu'il  y  a  plus  de  deshonneur  k  craindre, 
que    de    gloire    k    esperer    en    la    guerre.     Car    le 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  26 

is  most  likely  that  those  who  die  in  a  fight  have 
similar  thoughts.  Reason  knocks  at  our  door  at 
all  hours,  and  breathes  incessantly  in  our  ears. 
It  is  no  longer  time  to  receive  it  when  one  must 
leave  this  world.  In  this  we  see  the  misfortunes 
of  men  who  only  recognize  their  faults  when  in 
extremis,  and  do  not  follow  reason,  except  when 
they  can  no  longer  do  harm.  Public  opinion  leads 
them,  custom  rules  them,  and  ambition  blinds 
them  in  such  a  way,  that  they  tread  under  foot  all 
respect,  caring  neither  for  God  nor  for  man  pro- 
vided they  succeed  in  being  talked  about.  But 
they  are  often  greatly  deceived.  For  instead  of 
finding  the  reputation  which  they  seek  and  to 
die  in  the  bed  of  honor,  they  fall  into  a  shameful 
servitude  and  serve  as  toys  to  their  enemies.  Let 
us  think  of  the  circumstances  of  prisoners  of  war, 
the  affronts  and  mockeries  that  a  simple  burgher 
or  village  churl  would  not  endure  and  after  that 
often  a  rope,  or  some  other  harrowing  and  igno- 
minious death.  Nevertheless  these  are  ordinary 
fruits  of  war.  There  is  not  a  soldier,  gentleman, 
captain  or  army  chief  who  is  not  subject  to  these 
inconveniences.  The  greatest  Kings  and  Emper- 
ors are  not  exempt  from  them.  Valerian,  Bau- 
douin,  Tomabais,  Bayazeed,  Attabalippa,  and  oth- 
ers who  ended  miserably  their  days,  have  left  a 
fine  lesson  to  Princes,  to  learn  that  there  is  more 
dishonor  to  fear,   than  glory  to  hope  for  in  war. 


27  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

mal  vient  plus  souuent  que  le  bien :  &  si  on  estime 
folic  de  quitter  le  certain  pour  I'incertain,  les 
Princes  doibuent  mesnager  leur  honneur,  sans  le 
mettre  au  hazard  k  Tappet  it  &  suscitation 
de  ceux  qui  les  noun*issent  d'esperance,  &  leur 
proposent  ce  qu'ils  peuuent  acquerir,  &  non 
pas  ce  qu'ils  peuuent  perdre.  II  leur  tracent 
le  plan  des  conquestes  futures,  leur  font  veoir 
des  arcs  de  triomphe,  mais  ils  ne  leur  monstrent 
10  pas  le  ioug  ignominieux]  sous  lequel  ils  se  mettent 
en  danger  de  passet.  lis  leur  chantent  ceste 
vieille  maxime  Que  la  monarchie  est  vne  belle  se- 
pulture, qu'elle  vaut  bien  la  peine  qu'on  se  hazarde. 
Ce  qui  seroit  bon  k  dire  k  des  particuliers  ambitieux 
&  desesperez,  qui  voudroient  s'aggrandir  au  peril 
de  leur  vie.  Mais  les  Princes  qui  ont  desia  com- 
mandement  &  authorite  toute  acquise,  ne  doibuent 
point  s'exposer  k  I'inconstance  de  la  fortune,  qui 
se  ioue  des  plus  grands,  &  trauerse  par  accidens 
inopinez  les  plus  hautes  entreprises.  Et  main- 
tenant  les  affaires  du  monde  sont  en  tel  estat, 
qu'il  n'y  a  si  petite  Seigneurie,  laquelle  ne  soit 
capable  par  le  moyen  de  ses  alliances  de  resister 
au  plus  puissant  Roy  de  la  terre.  Vn  sage  Prince 
doncques  ne  s'aheurrera  point  contre  I'estat  d'un 
autre,  de  peur  de  briser  le  sien.  Que  si  I'ambition 
le  porte  k  prodiguer  la  vie,  &  celle  de  ses  subiects, 
k  tout  le  moins  qu'il  espargne  son  honneur,  pour  le- 
quel il  se  tourmente  tant,  qu'il  regarde  la  honte  &  le 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  28 

For  the  bad  comes  more  often  than  the  good:  and 
if  it  is  considered  a  folly  to  leave  the  certain  for 
the  uncertain,  Princes  should  guard  their  honor, 
without  risking  it  for  the  appetites  and  promptings 
of  those  who  nourish  them  with  hopes,  and  hold 
out  to  them  what  they  can  gain  and  not  what  they 
can  lose.  They  map  out  to  them  the  plan  of  future 
conquests,  make  them  see  triumphal  arches,  but 
they  do  not  show  them  the  ignominious  yoke 
under  which  they  put  themselves  in  danger  of 
passing.  They  sing  to  them  this  old  maxim.  That 
monarchy  is  a  beautiful  sepulchre,  that  it  is  well 
worth  taking  a  risk.  Which  would  be  well  to  say 
to  ambitious  and  desperate  individuals,  who  would 
wish  to  aggrandize  themselves  at  the  risk  of  their 
life.  But  the  Princes  who  already  have  command 
and  authority  all  acquired,  should  not  expose 
themselves  to  the  inconstance  of  fortune,  which 
makes  sport  of  the  greatest,  and  crosses  by  unex- 
pected accidents  the  most  important  enterprises. 
And  now  the  affairs  of  the  world  are  in  such  a  state, 
that  there  is  not  so  small  a  lordship,  which  is  not 
able  by  means  of  its  alliances  to  resist  the  most 
powerful  King  on  earth.  A  wise  Prince  then  will  not 
throw  himself  against  the  state  of  another,  for 
fear  of  breaking  his  own.  That  if  ambition  in- 
duces him  to  waste  his  life,  and  that  of  his  sub- 
jects let  him  at  least  spare  his  honor,  for  which  he 
worries  so  much,  and  look  at  the  shame  and  the 


29  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

dommage   ou   se    precipitent   ceux   qui   entrepren- 
nent    les    guerres.     lis    se  mettent    k    deux    doigts 

11  pres  de  leur  mine.  II  ne  faut  qu'vn  pe]tit  vent 
pour  les  pousser  dans  le  gouffre  de  miseres:  &  lors 
qu'ils  penseront  estre  en  leur  maison  celeste,  au 
solstice  de  prosper ite,  vn  reuers  de  fortune  les 
abbaissera  tout  h  coup,  &  de  souuerains  les  rendra 
esclaues.  Les  voila  captifs,  enchaisnez,  &  le  bour- 
reau  en  queue.  Alors  ils  se  voyent  bien  reculez 
de  la  gloire  qu'ils  s'imaginoient,  &  ont  tout  loisir 
de  regreter  la  felicite  dont  ils  pouuoient  paisible- 
ment  iotiir,  s'ils  n'eussent  este  preocupez  d'vne 
ambition  desmesuree.  Ce  ne  sont  point  icy  vaines 
conceptions  que  nous  enfantons.  Les  histoires  tes- 
moignent,  &  1' experience  verifie  que  la  guerre  met 
plustost  la  reputation  d'vn  Prince  au  hazard, 
qu'elle  ne  I'augmente.  Et  quand  il  pourroit  ac- 
querir  autant  d'honneur  qu'eut  iamais  Caesar, 
que  r empire  de  IVniuers  fust  le  pris  de  sa  vic- 
toire,  ne  seroit-ce  pas  vne  cruaute  d'y  paruenir 
par  une  voye  si  detestable?  O  que  I'honneur 
est  vne  miserable  chose  s'il  le  faut  acheter  auec 
effusion  de  sang!  I 'adore  ta  memoire  Othon  Sal- 
uie,  delices  de  ton  siecle,  unique  espoir  &  con- 
tentement    des    soldats    Romains,    qui   volontaire]- 

12  ment  sacrifioient  leurs  moiens  &  leur  vie  pour 
t'esleuer  au  throsne  imperial,  &  te  donnoient  leurs 
armes  pour  gages  d'vne  fidelle  affection.  Tu  refusas 
leur    offre,  aymant    mieux    mourir    simple   gentil- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  30 

loss  into  which  those  who  undertake  war  hurl 
themselves.  They  place  themselves  within  an  ace 
of  their  ruin.  Only  a  little  wind  is  necessary  to 
push  them  into  the  abyss  of  misery:  and  when 
they  are  thinking  they  are  in  their  celestial  home 
at  the  height  of  their  prosperity,  a  reverse  of  for- 
tune will  overthrow  them  suddenly,  and  from 
sovereigns  will  make  them  slaves.  Behold  them 
now  captives,  in  chains  and  the  executioner  behind 
them.  Then  they  see  they  are  far  distant  from 
the  glory  that  they  had  imagined,  and  have  every 
opportunity  to  regret  the  bliss  which  they  could 
peacefully  enjoy  had  they  not  been  preoccupied 
with  an  unbounded  ambition.  These  are  not  vain 
conceptions  that  we  are  creating.  Histories  tes- 
tify, experience  verifies  that  war  rather  hazards 
the  reputation  of  a  Prince  than  augments  it.  And 
even  if  he  could  acquire  as  much  honor  as  Caesar 
ever  had,  if  the  empire  of  the  universe  were  to  be 
the  prize  of  his  victory,  would  it  not  be  a  cruel 
thing  to  obtain  it  in  so  detestable  a  manner?  Oh 
what  a  miserable  thing  is  honor  if  it  must  be  bought 
by  the  shedding  of  blood.  I  adore  thy  memory 
Othon  Salvie,  delight  of  thy  century,  sole  hope  and 
delight  of  the  Roman  soldiers,  who  voluntarily 
sacrificed  their  means  and  their  lives  to  raise  thee 
to  the  Imperial  throne,  and  gave  thee  their  arms 
as  pledges  of  a  faithful  aftection.  You  refused 
their   offer,    preferring   to   die   a   plain   gentleman. 


31  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

homme,  que  de  gaigner  la  monarchie  auec  la 
perte  de  tant  de  bons  seruiteurs.  Cest  acte  vaut 
tons  les  empires  du  monde.  La  posterite  le 
preferera  aux  lauriers  des  Caesars,  pour  ce  que 
plusieurs  imiteront  ceux  cy,  mais  ta  genereuse 
bonte  demeurera  h  iamais  inconparable.  Faut-il 
que  les  monarques  s'establissent  par  massacres 
&  boucherie?  Abus.  Ce  ne  sont  pas  voleurs, 
pour  proceder  en  ceste  fagon.  Ce  sont  images 
de  Dieu,  tuteurs  du  peuple,  destinez  pour  guerir 
non  pour  blesser,  pour  bastir  non  pour  destruire. 
Mais  supposons  que  la  guerre  fut  necessaire  pour 
fonder  les  monarchies.  Auiourd'huy  qu'elles  sont 
establies,  il  n'est  plus  besoing  a  ceux  qui  en  iouis- 
sent  de  renplir  le  monde  de  carnage.  Que  leur 
sert  de  se  mettre  en  campagne,  puis  qu'ils  ont 
sans  coup  ferir  I'honneur  de  souuerain  commande- 
ment,  qu'ils  veulent  chercher  auec  tant  de  peine, 
13  &  peu  d'apparence  d'executer  leur  desseing?]  Qu'ils 
se  tiennent  sur  la  defensiue.  Cest  beaucoup  de 
conseruer  vne  monarchie:  Et  croyent  fermement 
que  I'honneur  est  fort  engage  en  la  guerre,  &  le 
profit  encore  plus  incertain.  Car  pour  detix  sol- 
dats  qui  s'y  enrichiront,  on  en  trouuera  cinquante 
qui  n'y  gaigneront  que  des  coups  ou  des  maladies 
incurables.  Pour  le  regard  des  Princes,  ils  y  es- 
puisent  leurs  finances.  Philippe  2.  Roy  d'Hes- 
pagne  en  sgauroit  bien  que  dire,  qui  a  employ^ 
tant  de  millions  d'or  auec  si  peu  d'aduance- 
ment,     que     son     exemple    a    serui    d'instruction 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  32 

than  to  win  the  monarchy  through  the  loss  of  so 
many  good  followers.  That  act  is  worth  all  the 
empires  of  the  world.  Posterity  will  prefer  it  to 
the  laurels  of  the  Caesars,  although  several  will 
imitate  these  latter,  but  thy  generous  goodness 
will  remain  forever  unequalled.  Must  it  be  that 
the  monarchs  establish  themselves  by  massacres 
and  butcheries?  Deception.  They  are  not  thieves, 
to  proceed  in  this  fashion.  They  are  images  of 
God,  guardians  of  peoples,  destined  to  heal  not 
to  wound,  to  build  not  to  destroy.  But  supposing 
that  war  were  necessary  to  found  monarchies. 
Now  that  they  are  established,  it  is  no  longer  neces- 
sary for  those  who  enjoy  them  to  fill  the  world 
with  carnage.  What  does  it  serve  them  to  enter 
on  a  campaign,  since  they  have  without  a  blow 
the  honor  of  sovereign  command,  which  they  wish 
to  seek  with  so  much  trouble,  and  little  appearance 
of  executing  their  design?  Let  them  hold  them- 
selves on  the  defensive.  It  is  a  great  deal  to  up- 
hold a  monarchy.  And  believe  firmly  that  honor 
is  much  risked  in  war,  and  the  profit  still  less  cer- 
tain. For  for  two  soldiers  who  will  enrich  them- 
selves in  it,  one  will  find  fifty  who  will  gain  in  it 
only  blows  or  incurable  sicknesses.  As  regards 
Princes,  they  exhaust  in  it  their  finances.  Philippe 
II.  King  of  Spain  would  well  know  what  to  say 
about  it,  who  employed  so  many  millions  of  gold 
with  so  little  success,  that  his  example  has  served 


33  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

k  son  successeur  pour  rechercher  vtilement  la  paix 
es  lieux  ou  il  pouuoit  faire  inutilement  la  guerre. 
Celuy  qui  se  peut  vanter  le  plus  de  ses  exploicts 
militaires,  c'est  le  gi-and  Seigneur:  Car  outre  ce 
que  tous  subiects  font  profession  des  armes,  ses 
entreprises  ont  reussi  si  heureusement,  qu'il  n'y 
a  pour  le  present  monarchie  comparable  a  la  sienne. 
Voyez  neantmoins  ce  qu'il  a  gaigne  depuis  plu- 
sieurs  ans.  II  n'a  quasi  fait  que  se  defendre,  &  a 
este  reduit  h  des  extremitez  par  ses  propres  sub- 
14  iects,  qui  luy  doiuent  bien  faire  penser]  h  sa  con- 
seruation  plustost  qu'k  vne  nouuelle  conqueste, 
&  considerer  que  si  la  force  establit  les  monarchies, 
elle  les  peut  aussi  miner,  veu  mesmes  qu'il  semble 
estre  paruenu  au  plus  haut  degre  de  puissance 
&  grandeur  humaine.  D autre  part  les  Chrestiens 
n'aduancent  pas  mieux  leurs  affaires:  Et  encore 
ont-ils  ce  malheur,  que  s'ils  obtiennent  quelque 
victoire,  ils  n'en  ioiiissent  pas  long-temps,  au  con- 
traire  les  Turcs  se  maintiennent,  &  ne  se  laissent 
point  aisement  dessaisir  de  leurs  possessions.  le 
confronte  ces  deux  peuples,  pour  ce  qu'ils  sont 
par  maniere  de  dire  ennemis  naturels,  &  ont  diuise 
presque  tout  le  monde  en  deux  parties,  h,  cause 
de  la  diuersite  de  leur  religion,  tellement  que  s'ilsse 
pouuoient  accorder,  se  seroit  vn  grand  achemine- 
ment  pour  la  paix  uniuerselle.  Car  le  Prince 
Chrestien  se  voyant  en  paix  auec  le  Mahometan, 
s'accorderoit     encore     plus     volontiers      auec     vn 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  34 

as  a  lesson  to  his  successor  to  search  usefully  for 
peace  in  the  localities  where  he  could  uselessly 
make  war.  He  who  can  boast  the  most  of  his 
military  exploits,  is  the  great  Lord:  For  besides 
that  all  his  subjects  make  a  profession  of  arms, 
his  enterprises  have  succeeded  so  well,  that  there 
is  not  at  present  a  monarchy  to  be  compared  with 
his.  See  nevertheless  what  he  has  gained  for 
several  years.  He  has  hardly  done  anything  but 
defend  himself,  and  has  been  reduced  to  such  ex- 
tremities by  his  own  subjects,  who  must  make  him 
think  of  his  own  salvation  rather  than  of  a  new 
conquest,  and  consider  that  if  force  establishes 
monarchies,  it  can  also  ruin  them,  even  though 
they  seem  to  have  reached  the  highest  degree  of 
human  power  and  grandeur.  On  the  other  hand 
the  Christians  do  not  advance  their  affairs  better: 
And  besides  they  have  this  misfortune,  that  if 
they  obtain  a  victory,  they  do  not  enjoy  it  for  any 
long  time,  on  the  contrary  the  Turks  maintain 
themselves,  and  do  not  easily  let  themselves  be 
dispossessed  of  their  possessions.  I  compare  these 
two  peoples,  since  they  are  so  to  speak  natural 
enemies,  and  have  divided  almost  all  the  world 
into  two  parts,  because  of  the  diversity  of  their 
rehgion,  so  much  so  that  if  they  could  agree,  it 
would  be  a  great  step  forward  for  universal  peace. 
For  the  Christian  Prince  seeing  himself  at  peace 
with  the  Mohametan,  would  agree  still  more  readily 


35  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

autre  de  sa  religion,  &  le  grand  Seigneur  est  ant 
d 'accord  auec  les  Chrestiens  se  rendroit  plus  facile  au 
Roy  de  Perse,  ou  de  Tartaric.     Quant  aux  payens  & 

15  luifs,  ie  croy  qu'ils  ne  refuseroient]  point  d'estre 
compris  en  vn  traitte  si  general  &  au  fort  ils  ne 
seroient  pas  suffisans  pour  empescher  vn  si  bon 
effect.  Toute  la  difficult e  gist  aux  pretentions 
de  quelques  souuerains,  qui  ont  este  spoliez  de 
leur  Seigneurie  ou  partie  d'icelle:  Et  de  Ik  vient 
la  troisiesme  occasion  de  guerre,  lors  que  les  Princes 
leuent  les  armes  pour  r'entrer  en  possession  de 
leurs  anciens  droits  &  se  venger  du  tort  qu'ils  ont 
receu.  Mais  qui  contemplera  I'origine  des  empires 
&  royaunies,  iugera  que  telles  pretentions  sont 
mal  fondees.  Car  les  Monarchies  ne  s'acquierent 
pas  comme  vn  autre  heritage.  EUes  viennent 
immediatement  de  Dieu,  &  sont  establies  par  sa 
seule  prouidence,  qui  donne  les  sceptres  &  les  oste 
quand  bon  luy  semble,  en  ostant  pareillement 
le  moien  de  les  recouurer.  Dont  plusieurs  peuuent 
donner  suffisant  tesmoignage :  &  sur  tout  I'Em- 
pereur  Romain,  Qui  a  plus  de  subier  de  se  plain - 
dre  que  luy,  veu  quela  plus  part  des  royaumes 
d'auiourd'huy  sont  fondez  sur  les  mines  de  son  estat? 
Toutesfois  il  est  contrainct  de  se  contenter  de  ce  peu 

16     qui  luy  reste,  &]  se  ressouuenir,  que  comme  I'Empire 
s'est    iadis   accreu   &   enrichi    des    despoiiilles    du 


THE   NEW  CYNEAS.  36 

with  another  of  his  own  religion,   and  the  great 
Lord  being  in  accord  with  the  Christians  would 
give  in  more  easily  to  the  King  of  Persia,  or  of 
Tatary.     As  for  the  pagans  and  Jews,   I   believe 
that  they  would  not  refuse  to  be  included  in  so 
general  a  treaty  and  at  best  they  would  not  be 
sufficient  in  numbers  to  prevent  such  a  good  result. 
The  whole  difficulty  lies  in  the  pretensions  of  a  few 
sovereigns,  who  have  been  despoiled  of  their  do- 
mains or  a  part  of  it:  And  from  that  comes  the 
third  cause  of  war,  when  the  princes  take  up  arms 
to  reenter  in  possession  of  their  ancient  rights  and 
avenge   the   wrong   they   have   received.     But   he 
who  contemplates  the  origin  of  empires  and  king- 
doms, will  judge  that  such  pretensions  are  badly 
founded.     For    monarchies    are    not    acquired   Hke 
another   heritage.     They   come   immediately   from 
God,  and  are  established  by  his  single  providence, 
which  gives  scepters  and  takes  them  away  when 
it  seems  well  to  him,   taking  away  at  the  same 
time  the  means  of  recovering  them.     Of  which  a 
number  can  give  sufficient  testimony:  and  especially 
the   Roman   Emperor.     Who   has   more   cause   to 
lament  than  he,  seeing  that  the  greater  part  of  the 
kingdoms  of  to-day  are  founded  upon  the  ruins  of 
his  state.     Nevertheless  he  is  constrained  to  con- 
tent himself  with  the  little  that  still  remains  to 
him,    and    again    remember,    that    as   the    Empire 
once   grew   and   fattened   upon   the   spoils   of   the 


37  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

monde,  il  a  aussi  finalement  semi  de  proye  k 
toutes  les  nations  qui  en  ant  chacune  emport^ 
de  bonnes  pieces.  II  n'est  besoing  de  nommer 
d'autres  Princes,  qui  se  sont  en  vain  efforcez  de 
recouurer  ce  qu'ils  auoient  perdu,  &  ont  experi- 
mente  que  les  royaumes  ont  la  f agon  des  hommes 
particuliers  leur  naissance,  accroissement,  &  declin. 
II  ne  faut  point  icy  se  flatter,  &  dire  que  Dieu 
fauorise  les  causes  iustes.  Car  c'est  entrer  trop 
auant  au  cabinet  de  sa  prouidence,  de  s'asseurer 
qu'il  nous  fauorisera  plustost  qu'vn  autre.  L'espoir 
de  c'este  faueur  imaginaire  a  faict  entreprendre 
des  guerres  k  plusieurs  qui  presumoient  de  leur 
bon  droict,  &  pensoient  que  Dieu  se  seruiroit  d'eux 
pour  exterminer  vne  puissance  quils  appelloient 
iniuste  &  tyrannique.  lis  se  sont  trouuez  bien 
loing  de  leur  compte,  &  pour  vne  lieue  depays 
qu'ils  vouloient  gaigner  sur  vsurpateurs,  en  ont 
perdu  cinquante,  &  ont  mis  en  danger  leur  estat: 
quelques  uns  y  ont  laisse  I'honneur  &  la  vie.  C'est 
17  bien  faict  k]  un  Prince  de  s'opposer  valeuresement 
h.  celuy  qui  vent  empieter  son  pays.  Mais  depuis 
qu'il  en  est  totalement  priue,  &  que  pour  son  im- 
puissance  il  ne  se  peut  rehabiliter,  il  doibt  ceder, 
je  ne  diray  pas  atix  hommes,  mais  k  Dieu,  qui 
est  ialoux  des  Monarchies  comme  de  ses  plus 
beaux  oeuures,  esquels  il  a  graue  1' image  de  sa 
maiest^,  les  characteres  de  sa  vertu,  &  s'en  declare 
protecteur  par  des  effects  visibles,  principale- 
ment   depuis   qu'elles   sont   fortifiees  d'vne   longue 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  38 

world,  it  also  served  finally  as  a  prey  for  all  the 
nations    each    one    of    which    carried    off    a    good 
piece.     It  is  not  necessary  to  name  other  princes, 
who  have  in  vain  tried  to  recover  what  they  had 
lost,  and  found  out  that  kingdoms  have  the  same 
peculiarities    as    individuals,    birth,    growth,    and 
decHne.    One  must  not  here  flatter  one's  self,  and 
say  God  favors  just  causes.       For  that  is  entering 
too  much  into  the  chamber  of  his  providence,  to 
assure  ourselves  that  he  will  favor  us  rather  than 
another.     The   hope   of   this   imaginary   favor   has 
caused  several  to   undertake   wars  who  presumed 
on  the  justness  of  their  rights,  and  thought  that 
God  would  avail  himself  of  them  to  exterminate 
a  power  which  they  called  unjust  and  tyrannous. 
They  found  themselves  far  wrong  in  their  calcula- 
tions,  and  for  one  league   of  country    that  they 
wished  to  gain  from  usurpers,  lost  fifty,  and  placed 
in  danger  their  state,  a  few  lost  their  honor  and 
their  life.     It  is  well  for  a  Prince  to  oppose  valor- 
ously  he  who  wants  to  encroach  on  his  country. 
But  when  he  is  totally  deprived  of  it,  and  from  his 
impotence   he   cannot   reinstate   himself,    he   must 
cede,  I  shall  not  say  to  men,  but  to  God  who  is 
jealous    of    monarchies    as    of    his    most    beautiful 
works,  upon  which  he  has  engraved  the  image  of 
his  majesty,  the  characters  of  his  virtue,  and  de- 
clares   himself   their    protector    by    visible    effects, 
principally  when  they  are  strengthened  by  a  long 


39  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

possession.  Ceux  qui  alors  les  attaquent,  ne  gaignent 
non  plus  que  les  anciens  qui  ont  tasche  de  couper 
I'Hexamilo.  II  n'est  pas  en  la  puissance  des  hom- 
ines de  rompre  vn  ordre  diuinement  establi,  comme 
celuy  des  Monarchies.  Les  Princes  qui  s'y  trou- 
uent  interessez  ou  pour  la  mine  totale  de  leur 
estat  ou  pour  la  diminution  d'iceluy,  doiuent 
sgauoir  que  Dieu  n'est  pas  tenu  de  continuer  sa 
benediction  en  un  endroict.  Que  s'il  a  transfere 
leur  sceptre  h  vne  autre  main,  il  a  fait  la  mesme 
faueur  k  leurs  predecesseurs,  qu'il  a  releu6  de  terre, 
18  leur  donnant  vne  puissance  absolue,  pour]  en 
ioiiir  tant  qu'il  luy  plairoit  &  non  autrement. 
Qu'ils  ne  se  plaignent  done  point  d'vn  mal  commun 
k  tous  estats,  qu'ils  n'accusent  point  vne  vsurpation, 
que  le  temps,  le  bon-heur,  &  la  volonte  de  Dieu 
authorisent:  qu'ils  retranchent  leurs  esperances 
inutiles,  &  le  desir  de  vengeance  qu'ils  ne  peuuent 
effectuer:  Et  quand  ils  le  pourroient  faire,  ils 
deuroient  prendre  vne  autre  voye  &  auparauant 
que  venir  aux  armes,  se  rapporter  k  I'arbitrage 
des  Potentats  &  Seigneurs  souuerains:  Ce  faisent 
ils  gaigneroient  I'amitie  de  leurs  semblables, 
pour  s'en  preualoir  contre  leurs  ennemis,  au  cas 
qu'ils  ne  voulussent  se  soubsmettre  au  iugement 
d'vn  tiers.  Or  si  vn  Prince  regeuoit  vn  iuge 
qui  voulust  imperieusement  s'ingerer  de  vuider  les 
differens,  cela  veritablement  raualeroit  sa  gran- 
deur :  mais  d' accepter  volontairement  des  arbitres, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  40 

possession.     Those  who  then  attack  them,  do  not 
gain  more  than  the  ancients  who  tried  to  cut  the 
Hexamilo.     It  is  not  in  the  power  of  mankind  to 
break  an  order  divinely  established,   like  that  of 
monarchies.     The  Princes  who  find  themselves  in- 
terested in  this  matter  either  on  account  of  the 
total  ruin  of  their  state  or  on  account  of  its  diminu- 
tion, must  know  that  God  is  not  held  to  continue 
his  benediction  in  one  place.     That  if  he  has  trans- 
ferred their  scepter  to  another  hand,  he  has  done 
the   same   favor   to   their   predecessors,    whom   he 
raised   up    from   earth,    giving   them    an    absolute 
power,  to  enjoy  it  so  long  as  it  shall  please  him 
and  not  otherwise.     Let  them  therefore  not  com- 
plain of  a   misfortune   common  to   all   states,   let 
them  not   accuse   an  usurpation,   which  the  time, 
the  happiness,  and  the  will  of  God  authorize,  let 
them  restrain  their  useless  hopes,   and  the  desire 
of  vengeance  that  they  cannot  accomplish.     And 
even  if  they  could  do  it,  they  should  take  another 
course  and  before  resorting  to  arms,  resort  to  the 
arbitration  of  the  sovereign  Potentates  and  Lords: 
which  doing  they  will  gain  the  friendship  of  their 
fellow    beings,    to    turn   to   account   against    their 
enemies,  in  case  they  did  not  wish  to  submit  to 
the  judgment  of  a  third  party.     Now  if  a  Prince 
receives  a  judge  who  wished  imperiously  to  meddle 
in  arranging  differences,   that  truly  would  debase 
his  grandeur;  but  to  accept  voluntarily  arbitrators, 


41  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

c'est  vne  chose  iadis  pratiquee  &  qui  se  prac- 
tique  encore  par  les  Monarques.  Que  si  on 
termine  a  1' amiable  les  querelles  esmeues  pour 
la  possession  des  souueraines  Principautez, 
on    pourra   plus    aisement   pacifier  d'autres     con- 

19  testations  &]  debats  qui  suruienent  entre  les 
grands  pour  leurs  limites,  pensions,  tributs  & 
autres  droicts  de  moindre  importance,  comme 
aussi  pour  quelques  actions  ou  paroles  offensuies 
qui  causent  souuent  de  cnielles  guerres,  faute 
d'vn  tiers  qui  pourroit  addoucir  les  affaires  en 
moyennant  quelque  satisfaction  honneste,  pour 
contenter  celuy  qui  auroit  este  offense.  Et  a  cecy 
seruiroit  grandement  I'assemblee  generale  de  la- 
quelle  nous  parlerons  cy  apres.  Voila  done  la 
troisieme  occasion  de  guerre  assez  refusee.  Reste 
la  quatriesme,  a  laquelle  ie  confesse  qu'il  est  plus 
difficile  de  remedier,  attendu  que  les  hommes 
sont  naturellement  impatiens  de  repos,  &  sur 
tout  les  gens  de  guerre.  C'est  pourquoy  nous 
lisons  que  tant  de  peuples  autrefois  se  sont  bannis 
volontairement  de  leur  pais,  pour  aller  chercher 
la  guerre  ailleurs,  ne  pouuans  endurer  que  leur 
bras  s'engourdit  auec  leur  generosite.  Cela  mesme 
a  contrainct  quelques  Roys  de  licentier  leurs  sub- 
iects,  leur  permettant  d' aller  busquer  fortune,  de 
peur    qu'ils    n'imitassent    ces  anciens   Odryses   qui 

20  entamoient  a  coup]  d'espee  leur  propre  corps, 
quand  ils  n'auoient  point  d'ennemis  pourse  bartre. 
Les  Allemans  k  mesme  fin  exergoient  leur 
ieunesse   au   brigandage    pour    luy   faire   passer    le 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  42 

is  a  thing  formerly  practiced  and  which  is  prac- 
ticed still  among  Monarchs.  That  if  an  end  is 
put  amicably  to  the  quarrels  started  to  obtain 
possession  of  sovereign  Principalities,  it  will  be 
more  easy  to  pacify  other  contentions  and  debates 
that  arise  between  the  great  about  their  frontiers, 
pensions,  tributes  and  other  rights  of  less  import- 
ance, as  also  for  a  few  offensive  actions  or  words 
which  cause  often  cruel  wars,  owing  to  the  want 
of  a  third  party  who  could  soften  the  questions 
by  means  of  granting  some  honest  satisfaction, 
to  content  him  who  was  offended.  And  for  this 
the  general  assembly  of  which  we  speak  hereafter 
would  serve  admirably.  Thus  the  third  cause  of 
wars  is  sufficiently  disposed  of.  Remains  the  fourth, 
for  which  I  confess  it  is  more  difficult  to  find  a 
remedy,  because  men  are  naturally  impatient  of 
quiet,  and  especially  men  at  arms.  It  is  for  that 
reason  that  we  read  that  so  many  people  formerly 
banished  themselves  from  their  country,  in  order  to 
seek  war  elsewhere,  not  being  able  to  bear  that 
their  hands  should  become  benumbed  with  their 
generosity.  That  even  forced  a  few  Kings  to 
license  their  subjects,  allowing  them  to  go  seek 
fortune,  for  fear  that  they  should  imitate  those 
ancient  Odrysae  who  cut  their  own  bodies  with 
sword  strokes  when  they  had  no  enemy  to  fight. 
The  Germans  with  the  same  aim  trained  their 
youths    in    brigandage    in    order    to    occupy    their 


43  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

temps.  Que  feront  done  auiourd'huy  tant  de 
vaillans  hommes,  qui  ne  peuuent  sentir  que  la 
poudre  k  canon,  ny  mettre  la  main  que  sur  le  pom- 
meau  de  leur  espee,  ny  le  pied  que  sur  vn  champs  de 
battaille  ou  vne  bresche,  comme  dit  vn  braue 
discoureur,  qui  ne  se  nomme  point?  La  responce 
k  ceste  demande  est  fort  sommaire.  Le  monde 
n'est  pas  fait  pour  telles  gens  qui  ne  sgauent  que 
mal  faire.  Le  cour  des  Roys  n'est  pas  leur  vray 
seiour.  II  les  faut  tous  enuoyer  aux  Canibases 
&  Sauuages,  qui  n'ont  rien  de  I'homme  que  la 
figure.  Maudit  naturel  qui  cherche  le  repos  dans 
I'inquietude,  I'honneur  en  I'infamie,  &  le  passe- 
temps  en  I'inhumanite!  Reprimez  (grands  Mo- 
narques)  reprimez  ces  monstrueux  courages,  ces  es- 
prits  forcenez,  qui  ne  suiuent  pas  les  Princes,  mais 
leur  fortune,  qui  les  abandonnent  au  besoing, 
&  souuentesfois  les  trahissent.  Que  peut-on  es- 
21  perer  de  ceux  qui  ne  respi]rent  que  le  sang  &  le 
carnage?  II  est  certain  que  les  soldats  sont  neces- 
saires  k  un  Prince,  pour  la  tuition  de  sa  personne 
&  de  son  est  at,  mais  quand  il  aura  balance  le  bien 
&  le  mal  qu'il  en  regoit,  il  trouuera  qu'il  est  beau- 
coup  plus  dangereux  de  les  estimer  que  de  les 
abbaisser.  Car  I'esprit  d'vn  guerrier  est  ambi- 
tieux  &  violent,  &  ne  regarde  pas  ce  qu'il  tient, 
mais  ce  qu'il  peut  obtenir.  Ne  voyons-nous  pas 
des  exemples  de  cecy  au  siecle  passe  &  au  nostre? 
Les  Empereurs  Romains  se  sont  mal  trouuez  d'auoir 
tant  defers  aux  Soldats  de  leur  garde.     Les  mutins 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  44 

time.  What  then  will  so  many  valiant  men  do 
to-day,  who  can  only  smell  cannon  powder,  or 
place  their  hand  on  the  hilt  of  their  sword,  or  their 
foot  except  on  a  battlefield  or  a  breach,  as  says  a 
brave  discourser  who  does  not  name  himself?  The 
answer  to  this  question  is  very  brief.  The  world 
is  not  made  for  such  people  who  only  know  how 
to  do  harm.  The  court  of  Kings  is  not  their  true 
abode.  They  should  all  be  sent  to  the  Cannibals 
and  Savages,  who  have  nothing  of  man  but  the 
face.  Cursed  nature  which  seeks  repose  in  anxiety, 
honor  in  infamy,  and  sport  in  inhumanity!  Re- 
strain (great  monarchs),  restrain  these  monstrous 
darings,  these  mad  souls,  who  do  not  follow  Princes, 
but  their  fortune,  who  abandon  them  in  case  of 
need,  and  oftentimes  betray  them.  What  can  one 
expect  of  those  who  only  breathe  blood  and  car- 
nage? It  is  certain  that  soldiers  are  necessary  to 
a  Prince,  for  the  protection  of  his  person  and  his 
state,  but  when  he  shall  have  weighed  the  good 
and  the  evil  that  he  receives  from  them,  he  will 
find  that  it  is  much  more  dangerous  to  raise  them 
than  to  humble  them.  For  the  spirit  of  a  warrior 
is  ambitious  and  violent,  and  does  not  look  at  what 
he  has  but  at  what  he  may  obtain.  Do  we  not 
see  examples  of  this  in  the  past  century  and  in  our 
own?  The  Roman  Emperors  found  themselves  in 
an  awkward  position  for  having  given  in  so  much 
to    the    soldiers    of    their    guard.     The    mutineers 


45  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

donnoient,  ou  pour  mieux  dire,  vendoient  rEmpirej 
&  Tostoient  a  leur  plasir.  lis  n'auoient  pas 
si  tost  preste  le  serment  de  fidelite  h  leur 
maistre,  qu'ils  en  estoient  degoustez,  &  le  mas- 
sacroient  cruellement  pour  substituer  vn  autre 
en  sa  place,  qui  estoit  regeu  k  mesme  condition 
que  le  premier,  c'est  a  dire,  il  couroit  fortune 
d'auoir  vn  pareil  traittement  quand  il  plairoit  h. 
ces  bourreaux,  qui  pronongoient  arrest  de  mort 
contre  celuy  auquel  ils  soubsmettoient  leur  vie.] 
22  Ainsi  le  grand  Seigneur  regoit  souuent  la  loy  de 
ceux  qui  se  disent  ses  esclaues.  Quelle  pitie  de 
voir  vn  Souuerain  contrainct  d'abandonner  ses 
plus  fideles  seruiteurs  a  la  volonte  d'vne  troupe 
mutine,  qui  present e  vne  request e  les  armes  au 
poing,  &  menace  audacieusement  son  Prince  com- 
me  s'il  tenoit  d'elle  sa  coronne  imperiale?  C'est 
ce  qui  perdra  les  Othomans,  &  leur  Empire  ne 
sera  iamais  mine  que  par  la  puissance  immoderee 
qu'ils  ont  donne  &  donnent  encore  aux  lanissaires. 
Que  s'ils  vouloient  regeuoir  vn  conseil  pacifique, 
&  conspirer  vnanimement  auec  les  autres  Monarques 
pour  le  repos  public,  ils  n'endureroient  point  ces 
brauades,  seroient  mieux  seruis,  &  ne  depend- 
roient  aucunement  des  caprices  des  hommes  tur- 
bulens,  ausquels  ils  sont  contraincts  d'accorder 
tout.  L'Empereur  Probe  considerant  cecy  disoit 
franchement,  qu'il  disposeroit  les  affaires  en  telle 
sorte,  qu'on  se  passeroit  bien  de  soldats.     Grands 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  46 

gave,  or  to  speak  more  correctly,  sold  the  Empire, 
and  took  it  away  at  their  pleasure.  They  had  no 
sooner  sworn  fealty  to  their  master,  than  they 
were  disgusted  with  him,  and  cruelly  massacred 
him  to  substitute  another  in  his  place,  who  was 
received  on  the  same  condition  as  the  first  one, 
that  is  to  say,  he  ran  the  chance  of  having  a  similar 
treatment  when  it  pleased  these  executioners,  who 
pronounced  the  penalty  of  death  on  him  to  whom 
they  submitted  their  lives.  Thus  the  Great  Lord 
receives  often  the  law  from  those  who  call  them- 
selves his  slaves.  What  a  pity  to  see  a  sovereign 
forced  to  abandon  his  most  faithful  servitors  to  the 
will  of  a  mutinous  troop,  which  presents  a  request 
arms  in  hand,  and  audaciously  threatens  its  Prince 
as  if  he  held  from  them  his  imperial  crown?  This 
it  is  that  will  destroy  the  Ottomans,  and  their 
Empire  will  never  be  ruined  except  by  the  im- 
moderate power  they  have  given  and  still  give  to 
the  Janissaires.  But  if  they  would  receive  a 
pacific  council,  and  conspire  unanimously  with  the 
other  Monarchs  for  public  tranquillity,  they  would 
not  put  up  with  these  bravadoes,  would  be  better 
served,  and  would  not  depend  in  any  way 
upon  the  caprices  of  turbulent  men,  to  whom 
they  are  constrained  to  accord  everything.  The 
Emperor  Probus  considering  this  frankly  said, 
that  he  would  arrange  affairs  in  such  a  way, 
that  one  would  get  along  without  soldiers.     Great 


47  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Princes,    il   est   en   vous   d'effectuer   ceste   saincte 
resolution.     Tous   les   hommes   en  general,    &   vos 

23  peuples  en  particulier  vous  en]  seront  obligez. 
II  n'y  a  conqueste,  qui  vous  puisse  acquerir  tant 
d'applaudissement;  il  n'y  a  victoire  qui  merite 
tant  de  feux  de  ioye.  Quel  plus  grand  honneur 
pouuez-vous  desirer  que  de  voir  soubs  vostre  au- 
thorite  publier  la  paix  par  tout  le  monde?  On 
marquera  dans  les  chroniques  vostre  nom  en  let- 
tres  d'or:  on  loiiera  vostre  regne,  comme  ayant 
este  le  commencement  ou  le  retour  du  siecle  heu- 
reux.  On  ne  parlera  plus  des  conquestes  d'Alex- 
andre,  des  triomphes  de  Cesar,  des  stratagemes 
d'Annibal  &  Sertorie.  La  vanity  de  ces  gens-la 
sera  recongneue  qui  ont  fonde  leur  gloire  sur 
meurtres  «&  pilleries,  dont  ils  deuroient  plustost 
auoir  emporte  vn  regret  &  honte  perpetuelle. 
On  fera  veoir  k  la  posterite  ces  braues  Heros,  qui 
auront  surmonte  les  monstres  d'inhumanite  &  bar- 
barie,  auront  range  I'iniuers  soubs  les  loix  de  iustice, 
bref  qui  se  seront  monstrez  vrayes  images  de  la 
diuinite.  Or  ce  beau  tiltre  ne  s'acquiet  point 
par  saccagemens,  massacres,  &  actes  d'hostilite, 
mais    par    vn    doux    gouuernement,    puissance   le- 

24  gitime  &  reglee,  qui  distingue]  les  Royaumes  d'auec 
les  brigandages  &  tyrannies  pleines  d'inquietude 
&  de  peu  de  duree.  Car  il  ne  faut  pas  estimer 
que  la  grandeur  d'vn  Roy  consiste  en  Test  endue 
de  sa  seigneurie.     Agesilaiis  se  faschoit  de  ce  qu'on 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  48 

Princes,  it  is  for  you  to  carry  out  this  saintly  reso- 
lution.    All  men  in  general,  and  your  peoples  es- 
pecially, will  be  obliged  to  you  for  it.    There  is  not 
a  conquest,  which  can  gain  you  so  much  applause; 
there  is  not  a  victory  which  merits  so  many  bonfires. 
What  greater  honor  can  you  desire  than  to  see 
under  your  authority  peace  proclaimed  throughout 
all  the  world?     Your  names  will  be  marked  in  the 
chronicles  in  letters  of  gold:    your  reign  will  be 
praised,  as  having  been  the  beginning  or  the  return 
of  the  happy  century.     Men  will  no  longer  speak 
of  the   conquests   of  Alexander,    the   triumphs   of 
Caesar,  the  stratagems  of  Hannibal  and  Sertorius. 
The   vanity   of   those   persons   will   be   recognized 
who  have  founded  their  glory  on  murder  and  pillage, 
of  which  they  should  rather  have  carried  away  a 
perpetual  regret  and  shame.    Posterity  will  be  shown 
those  brave  Heroes,  who  will  have  surmounted  the 
monsters  of  inhumanity   and  barbarity,   who   will 
have  placed  the  universe  under  the  laws  of  justice, 
briefly,  who  will  have  shown  themselves  true  images 
of  the  divinity.     Now  this  beautiful  title  is  not  ac- 
quired by  sackings,  massacres,  and  acts  of  hostility, 
but    by    a    gentle    government,    a    legitimate    and 
regulated  power,  which  distinguishes  kingdoms  from 
robberies    and    tyrannies    filled    with    anxiety    and 
short  lived.     For  it  must  not  be  supposed  that  the 
grandeur  of  a  King  consists  in  the  extent  of  his 
lordship.     Agesilaus  was  angered  because  the  King 


49  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qualifioit  du  nom  de  Grand  le  Roy  de  Perse.  Com- 
ment peut-il  estre  plus  grand  que  moy,  disoit-il, 
s'il  n'est  plus  iuste?  La  vraye  grandeur  d'vn 
Souuerain  gist  en  la  .  prompte  obeissance  de  ses 
subiects,  &  ferme  iouissance  de  son  estat,  ce  qui 
ne  luy  peut  arriuer  tant  qu'il  s'engagera  en  vne 
guerre,  laquelle  apporte  vne  grande  alteration  atix 
volontez,  auec  diminution  d' obeissance  &  de  res- 
pect: &  tel  commande  a  baguette  en  pleine  paix 
qui  est  contrainct  en  temps  de  guerre  de  courtiser 
son  vassal,  &  entretenir  vn  simple  Soldat  de  belles 
promesses.  Et  a  quelle  fin  ces  honteuses  sub- 
missions? Pour  empieter  sur  vn  voisin,  pour  se 
rendre  redoutable.  Si  la  grandeur  de  vos  coura- 
ges vous  appelle  a  vne  fortune  plus  releuee,  si 
elle  ne  peut  acquiescer  aux  possessions  presentes, 
a  tout  le  moins  imitez  les  aigles,  qui  par  vne  tacit e 
25  conuenjtion  se  prescriuent  vn  certain  espace,  dans 
lequel  elles  cherchent  leur  proye,  &  ne  passent 
point  outre.  Bomez  vostre  territoire  a  la  mode 
du  sage  Numa,  &  suiuant  son  ordonnance  sa- 
crifiez  au  Dieu  Terme  sans  effusion  de  sang.  Au- 
guste  se  comporta  de  ceste  fa§on,  &  mit  volon- 
tairement  des  bornes  a  son  Empire  limitant  par 
ce  moy  en  sa  cupidite.  Cest  Empereur  monstre 
bien  comme  il  se  faut  seruir  des  gens  de  guerre. 
Gar  apres  qu'il  eust  establi  la  paix,  il  mit  bonnes 
garnisons  sur  les  frontieres:  outre  ce  il  auoit  deux 
fiottes  sur  mer  esquippees  &  bien  garnies,  pour 
les  employer  selon  les  occurrences.    Et  cecy  seruira 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  50 

of  Persia  was  called  great.  How  can  he  be  greater 
than  I,  said  he,  he  is  not  more  just?  The  true 
grandeur  of  a  sovereign  lies  in  the  prompt  obedience 
of  his  subjects,  and  the  firm  possession  of  his  state, 
which  can  not  happen  so  long  as  he  engages  in  a 
war,  which  brings  a  great  change  in  feeling  with 
diminution  of  obedience  and  respect  and  such  a 
one  commands  with  a  rod  in  full  peace  who  is  con- 
strained in  war  times  to  court  his  vassal,  and  main- 
tain a  simple  soldier  with  fair  promises.  And  to 
what  end  are  these  shameful  submissions?  In  order 
to  encroach  on  a  neighbor,  in  order  to  make  one's 
self  formidable.  If  the  greatness  of  your  courages 
calls  you  to  a  more  exalted  fortune,  if  it  cannot 
acquiesce  in  the  present  possessions,  at  least  imitate 
the  eagles,  who  by  a  tacit  convention  prescribe 
to  one  another  a  certain  space,  within  which  they 
seek  their  prey,  and  do  not  pass  beyond.  Confine 
your  territory  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  wise 
Numa,  and  following  his  ordinance  sacrifice  to  the 
God  Terminus  without  effusion  of  blood.  Augustus 
bore  himself  in  this  manner,  and  voluntarily  placed 
boundaries  to  his  Empire  limiting  by  this  means 
his  cupidity.  This  Emperor  shows  well  how  to 
make  use  of  men  at  arms.  For  after  he  had  es- 
tablished peace,  he  placed  good  garrisons  on  the 
frontiers:  besides  these,  he  had  two  fleets  on  the 
sea  equipped  and  well  furnished,  to  employ  them 
according  to   circumstances.     And  this  will  serve 


51  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

pour  satisfaire  k  ceux  qui  disent  que  la  valeur 
seroit  abastardie  par  le  moyen  d'vne  paix  gen- 
erale.  le  pourrois  leur  respondre  que  tout  le 
monde  estant  d'accord  on  n'a  que  faire  de 
s'aguerrir,  &  qu'il  vaut  mieux  estre  couard  que 
brutal  &  barbare.  Mais  les  Romains  donnoient 
bon  ordre  k  cela,  &  s'empeschoient  bien  de  deuenir 
lasches  en  temps  de  paix.  lis  s'exergoient  aux 
tournois,  tiroient  k  la  quintaine,  representoient 
26  battailles]  terrestres  &  nauales,  afin  de  se  disposer 
aux  serieux  combats,  &  notamment  pour  euiter 
I'ennuy  qu'apporte  vne  longue  oisiuete.  Car  tout 
homme  s'attedie,  depuis  qu'il  n'exerce  plus  son 
mestier.  Voila  pourquoy  k  vn  soldat  qui  ne  s^ait 
faire  autre  chose  que  fraper,  il  est  bon  de  donner 
quelque  subiect,  ou  il  puisse  desgourdir  son  bras, 
esprouuer  sa  force  &  dexterite,  auec  honneur  toutes- 
fois,  &  sans  meurtre.  Et  comme  ceux  qui  ayment 
quelque  chose  en  voyent  volontiers  le  pourtraict, 
aussi  ceux  qui  demandent  les  combats  sont  bien 
aises  d'en  veoir  la  representation.  Que  si  tels 
ieux  ne  leur  sont  aggreables  s'ils  se  veulent  battre 
k  bon  escient,  les  bestes  fourniront  assez  dequoy 
passer  ceste  furieuse  enuie.  La  chasse  est  vn  exer- 
cice  noble,  &  bien-seant  aux  gens  de  guerre,  sur 
tout  a  ceux  qui  sont  qualifiez.  le  mets  au  rang 
des  bestes  les  peuples  sauuages  qui  n'vsent  point  de 
raison.  lis  donneront  pareillement  vn  iuste  subiet 
de  guerre,  aussi  bien  comme  les  pirates  &  voleurs 
qui  ne  font  estat  que  de  brigander.  Voila  en- 
quoy     les    soldats     peuuent     estre    legitimement] 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  52 

to  satisfy  those  who  say  that  valor  will  be  debased 
by  means  of  a  general  peace.  I  could  answer  them 
that  all  the  world  being  in  accord  there  would  be 
no  need  of  getting  inured  to  war,  and  that  it  is 
better  to  be  cowardly  than  brutal  and  barbarous. 
But  the  Romans  paid  attention  to  this  and  pre- 
vented themselves  from  becoming  cowardly  in  times 
of  peace.  They  exercised  in  the  tournaments,  fired 
at  the  Turk's  head,  represented  terrestrial  and 
naval  battles,  in  order  to  predispose  themselves 
for  serious  combats,  and  notably  to  avoid  the 
boredom  which  a  long  leisure  brings.  For  every 
man  becomes  stale,  when  he  no  longer  ex- 
ercises his  trade.  That  is  why  to  a  soldier  who 
does  not  do  anything  but  strike,  it  is  well  to  give 
some  object  where  he  can  limber  up  his  arm,  try 
his  strength  and  dexterity,  always  with  honor,  and 
without  murder.  And  as  those  who  like  something 
are  glad  to  see  its  portrait,  those  who  demand 
combats  are  well  pleased  to  see  their  representation. 
That  if  such  games  are  not  agreeable  to  them  if  they 
wish  to  fight  seriously,  the  beasts  will  furnish  enough 
to  do  to  get  rid  of  this  furious  desire.  The  chase  is 
a  noble  exercise,  and  becoming  to  men  at  arms, 
especially  for  those  who  are  qualified.  I  place 
among  beasts  savage  peoples  who  do  not  reason. 
They  will  give  likewise  a  just  object  of  war,  as  well 
as  pirates  and  thieves  who  have  no  calling  except 
brigandage.      In  this   soldiers   can   be   legitimately 


53  LB   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

27  employez,  &  par  ce  moyen  ils  n'auront  occasion 
de  se  plaindre,  attendu  qu'ils  seront  tousiours 
necessaires  pour  la  manutention  de  la  paix,  &  con- 
seruation  des  Princes,  qui  ne  peuuent  est  re  en 
seurete  sans  les  armes,  &  partant  ne  doiuent  mes- 
priser  ceux  qui  en  font  profession,  au  contraire 
les  honorer  de  quelques  priuileges  &  mesmes  leur 
donner  dequoy  viure,  afin  de  leur  oster  toute  oc- 
casion de  mescontentement.  Que  si  I'estat  de 
leurs  Finances  ne  pouuoit  fournir  k  ceste  libera- 
lite,  ils  pourroient  appliquer  k  cela  deux  remedes. 
Le  premier  est,  congedier  vne  partie  des  gens  de 
guerre,  &  retenir  seulement  les  plus  robust es  &  plus 
propres  suiuant  Texemple  de  lules  Cesar,  lequel  di- 
miua  le  trop  grand  nombre  de  citoyens  nourris 
aux  despens  de  la  Republique,  &  les  reduisit  au 
nombre  de  cent  cinquante  mil  hommes.  L' autre 
remede  est  de  leuer  vn  impost  particulier,  pour 
I'entretenement  de  la  gendarmerie,  k  quoy  tout 
le  peuple  contribueroit  volontiers,  &  n'auroit  point 
de   regret,    de   s'incommoder   vn   peu,    pour   auoir 

28  la  paix,  &  euiter  les  oppressions  &  outrajges  qu'il 
endure  des  Soldats  quand  ils  sont  mal  payez, 
C'est  le  principal  fruict  de  la  paix,  de  regler  des 
deport emens  des  gendarmes,  mais  c'est  vne  chose 
impossible,  tant  que  leur  paye  sera  retenue  ou 
differee.  Or  ce  n'est  pas  tout  de  tenir  en  bride  ces 
gens-lk,  &  d'empescher  que  I'oisiuete  ne  leur  en- 
gendre  vn  desir  de  remuer.    II  faut  prendre  garde 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  54 

employed,  and  by  this  means  they  will  have  no 
need  to  complain,  since  they  will  always  be  necessary 
for  the  maintenance  of  peace,  and  preservation  of 
Princes,  who  cannot  be  in  safety  without  arms, 
and  therefore  must  not  disdain  those  who  make 
a  profession  of  them,  on  the  contrary  honor  them 
with  a  few  privileges  and  even  give  them  the  means 
to  live,  in  order  to  take  from  them  all  occasion  of 
discontent.  That  if  the  state  of  their  finances 
cannot  furnish  this  liberality,  they  can  apply  to 
that  two  remedies.  The  first  is,  dismiss  a  part  of 
the  men  at  arms,  and  retain  only  the  most  robust 
and  the  best  suited  according  to  the  example  of 
Julius  Caesar,  who  diminished  the  too  great  number 
of  citizens  nourished  at  the  cost  of  the  Republic, 
and  reduced  them  to  the  number  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  thousand  men.  The  other  remedy  is  to 
levy  a.  special  tax  to  maintain  the  constabulary, 
to  which  all  the  people  will  willingly  contribute, 
and  would  not  mind  inconveniencing  themselves 
a  little,  in  order  to  have  peace,  and  avoid  the  op- 
pressions and  outrages  which  they  endure  from  sol- 
diers when  they  are  badly  paid.  It  is  a  principal 
good  of  peace,  to  regulate  scandalous  behaviors 
on  the  part  of  constables,  but  it  is  impossible  to  do 
so  so  long  as  their  pay  is  retained  or  put  off.  Now, 
it  is  not  everything  to  hold  in  hand  those  people, 
and  to  prevent  that  leisure  develops  in  them  a  de- 
sire to  act.    Watch  must  be  taken  over  the  inhabit- 


55  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

aux   habitans    des   villes,    qui   ne    sont  pas   moins 
difficiles     h    gouuemer.     Car     les     villageois    sont 
la    pluspart    occupez    &    ne     pensent     qu'a    leur 
mesnage.     En  vne  ville  on  voit  vn  tas  de  faineans 
necessiteux,   qui  ne  s^achans  que  faire,   cherchent 
des    querelles.     Rome    a    este    fort  trauaillee  par 
ceste    canaille,    qui   ne   viuoit    que    de   partialitez, 
&  prestoit   escorte  de  gayete  de  coeur  aux  Magis- 
trats    seditieux    pour   piller,    massacrer,    &    mettre 
tout  en  confusion.     Pour  obuier  a  ce  mal,   il  est 
besoing    de    renouueller    I'ancienne    coustume    des 
Atheniens     &    Aegyptiens,     qui     faisoient     rendre 
compte  h  vn  chacun  de  sa  vie,  &  punissoient  ceux 
qui     demeuroient     sans     rien     faire.      Encore     les 
29     Chinois   n'endurent   point   les   faijneans,   recognois- 
sans  que  c'est  vne  pepiniere  des  voleurs,  assasins, 
&  factieux.     Le  Prince  Hipparque  se  faschoit  quand 
il    voyoit    quelque    homme    otieux,    il    1' exhort oit 
h   trauailler,    &    afin    qu'il    n'eust    aucune    excuse, 
luy  offroit  des   terres   &    des   boeufs   pour   les  la- 
bourer.    L' agriculture  &  le  trafic  sont  deux  voca- 
tions   necessaires,    &    ne    sont    pas    moins    hono- 
rables.    En  I'vne  &  en  I'autre  paroissent  le  trauail, 
le  courage,  I'industrie,  &  preuoyance  d'vn  homme. 
Le  labourage  nourrit  vn  est  at:   le  trafic  I'aggrandit. 
Et    c'est    vn    abus    de    penser    que    ces    mestiers 
soient     mechaniques     ou     qu'ils     derogent     k     la 
Noblesse.     Les  Gentils-hommes  Romains  mettoient 
eux  mesmes  la  main  k  la  chantie,  &  auoient  leurs 
facteurs    en     diuerses    prouinces,    par    I'ent remise 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  56 

ants  of  cities,  who  are  not  less  difficult  to  govern. 
For  the  inhabitants  of  villages  are  mostly  occupied 
and  think  only  of  their  household.  In  a  city  you 
see  a  mass  of  needy  idlers,  who,  not  knowing  what 
to  do,  seek  quarrels.  Rome  was  very  much  ex- 
ploited by  that  rabble,  that  lived  only  through 
favors  and  lent  lightheartedly  to  seditious  magis- 
trates an  escort  to  pillage,  massacre,  and  place 
ever)rthing  in  confusion.  To  obviate  this  evil,  it 
is  necessary  to  renew  the  ancient  custom  of  the 
Athenians  and  Egyptians,  who  made  every  one 
give  an  account  of  his  life,  and  punished  those  who 
remained  without  doing  anything.  Again,  the 
Chinese  do  not  support  idlers,  recognizing  that 
they  are  a  nursery  of  thieves,  assassins,  and 
factious  spirits.  Prince  Hipparchus  became  angry 
when  he  saw  an  idle  man;  he  exhorted  him 
to  work,  and  in  order  that  he  should  have  no 
excuse,  would  offer  him  lands  and  oxen  to 
cultivate  them.  Agriculture  and  traffic  are  two 
necessary  vocations,  and  are  both  worthy  of  honor. 
In  the  one  and  the  other  the  work,  the  courage, 
the  industriousness  and  the  foresight  of  a  man 
show  out.  Cultivation  nourishes  a  State:  traffic 
aggrandizes  it.  And  it  is  an  abuse  to  think  that 
these  occupations  are  mechanical  or  that  they  are 
derogatory  to  the  nobility.  The  Roman  gentle- 
men themselves  lent  their  hand  to  the  plow,  and 
had  their  stewards  in  different  provinces,  through 


57  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

des  quels  ils  trafiquoient.  Et  mesme  au  temps  pre- 
sent plusieurs  Princes  ont  des  vaisseaux  sur  mer, 
qu'ils  enuoyent  aux  pays  estranges,  dont  ils  tirent 
vn  grand  profit.  Certainement  il  ne  faut  denigrer 
le  marchand,  principalement  celuy  qui  d'vne  reso- 
lution   genereuse    entreprend    des    voyages    hazar- 

30  deux,]  afin  de  s'enrichir  luy  &  son  pays.  II  ne  peut 
faire  I'vn  sans  I'autre,  &  le  public  estant  com- 
pose des  particuliers,  il  se  ressent  des  richesses 
&  de  la  pauurete  de  ceux-cy.  Or  ce  qui  apporte 
des  commoditez  a  vne  Monarchie  ce  n'est  point 
la  multitude  des  prestres  minis tres,  ny  Religieux, 
iagoit  que  leur  dignite  soit  grande  &  necessaire 
pour  attirer  la  faueur  du  Ciel:  ce  ne  sont  point 
aussi  les  practiciens  &  officiers  de  iustice  qui  ne 
deuroient  estre  en  si  grand  nombre  comme  ils 
sont  en  quelques  endroicts.  Bref  il  n'y  a  mestier 
comparable  en  vtilite  a  celuy  du  marchand,  qui 
accroist  legitimement  ses  moyens  aux  despens  de 
son  trauail,  &  souuentefois  au  peril  de  sa  vie,  sans 
endomager  n'y  ofifenser  personnel  en  quoy  il  est 
plus  loiiable  que  le  soldat,  dont  I'aduancement 
ne  depend  que  des  despotiilles  &  mines  d'autruy, 
Et  puisqu'il  est  question  de  bannir  I'oisiuete,  & 
diuertir  les  mauuaises  pensees  qu'elle  cause  or- 
dinairement  en  1' esprit  des  faitneans,  il  n'y  a 
meilleur  expedient  pour  cela  que  la  negotiation, 
h  laquelle  les   Princes   douient   inuiter  leurs  sub]- 

31  iects      par     toute    sorte     d' artifices.     Et     comme 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  58 

whose  agency  they  traded.  And  even  in  the 
present  time  several  Princes  have  vessels  upon  the 
sea,  which  they  send  to  foreign  countries,  from 
which  they  draw  a  large  profit.  Certainly  the 
merchant  must  not  be  disparaged,  especially  he 
who  from  a  generous  resolution  undertakes  hazard- 
ous voyages,  in  order  to  enrich  himself  and  his 
country.  He  cannot  do  the  one  without  the  other, 
and  the  public  being  composed  of  individuals,  it 
reflects  the  richness  and  poverty  of  these  latter. 
Now  what  brings  commodities  to  a  monarchy  is 
not  the  multitude  of  priests,  ministers,  nor  monks, 
although  I  think  that  their  dignity  is  great  and 
necessary  to  attract  the  favor  of  Heaven:  Neither 
is  it  the  practitioners  and  officers  of  justice  who 
should  not  be  in  such  great  numbers  as  they  are 
in  a  few  places.  In  short,  there  is  no  occupation 
to  compare  in  utility  with  that  of  the  merchant 
who  legitimately  increases  his  resources  by  the 
expenditure  of  his  labor  and  often  at  the  peril  of 
his  life,  without  injuring  or  offending  anyone:  in 
which  he  is  more  worthy  of  praise  than  the  soldier 
whose  advancement  depends  upon  the  spoil  and 
destruction  of  others.  And  since  it  is  now  the 
question  how  to  banish  idleness,  and  divert  the 
evil  ideas  that  it  ordinarily  causes  in  the  minds  of 
ne'er-do-wells,  there  is  no  better  expedient  for  that 
than  commerce,  to  which  Princes  must  urge  their 
subjects    by    every    sort    of    expedient.     And    as 


59  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Cyrus  voulant  abastardir  ses  rebelles  de  Lydie,  leur 
fit  subtilement  frequenter  les  theatres,  bordeaux,  & 
cabarets:  aussi  au  contraire  pour  rendre  vn  peuple 
actif  &  laborieux  il  est  necessaire  d'ouurir  les 
boutiques,  &  conuier  au  trafic  indifferemment  les 
grands  &  les  petit s.  Mais  ny  les  vns  ny  les  autres 
ne  s'y  addonneront  pas  volontiers  tant  qu'ils  ver- 
ront  la  condition  des  marchands  si  raualee,  & 
qui  pis  est  subiette  h  tant  d'impositions.  II  est 
raisonnable  que  le  Prince  tire  quelques  deniers 
sur  les  marchandises  qu'on  apporte  &  transporte 
hors  de  sa  Seigneurie:  mais  il  doibt  en  cela  vser 
demoderation  autant  qu'il  luy  sera  possible,  & 
principalemet  pour  le  fait  des  marchandises  neces- 
saires  a  la  vie,  comme  bled,  vin,  sel,  chairs,  pois- 
sons,  laines,  toiles,  &  cuirs,  afin  que  les  marchands 
y  trafiquent  plus  librement,  &  que  le  peuple  les 
aye  k  meilleur  pris,  qui  par  ce  moyen  sera  con- 
tent, &  au  lieu  de  murmurer  contre  son  Prince, 
le  reuerera  comme  vn  astre  salutaire,  ou  Dieu  ter- 
restre,  luy  donnera  mille  benedictions  &  tesmoigna- 
32  ges  de  sa]  bienueillance,  en  telle  sorte  qu'il 
n'aura  besoing  de  soldats,  est  ant  asseure  au 
dedans  de  son  Royaume:  &  quant  aux  estrangers 
il  s'en  garentira  par  I'entretien  de  quelques  com- 
pagnies  d'ordonnance,  encore  qu'elles  ne  soient 
pas  beaucoup  requises,  sinon  pour  satisfaire  k  la 
deffiance,  si  tant  est  que  nous  puissons  obtenir 
vne  paix  vniuerselle,  dont  le  beau  fruict  est 
I'establissement     du     commerce:     &     partant     les 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  60 

Cyrus,  wishing  to  debase  his  Lydian  rebels,  subtily 
caused   them   to   frequent   theaters,    brothels,    and 
taverns:    on   the    contrary  to    cause    a    people    to 
be   active    and    laborious    it  is  necessary  to  open 
the    shops,   and  invite  indifferently  the  great  and 
the    small    to   trade.      But   neither  the    ones    nor 
the  others  will  give  themselves  to  it  voluntarily 
so  long  as  they  see  the  condition  of  merchants  so 
disparaged,  and,  what  is  worse,  subject  to  so  many 
impositions.     It  is  reasonable  that  the  Prince  levies 
a  few  honest  pennies  on  the  merchandise  which  is 
brought  in  and  taken  out  of  his  territory:  but  he 
must  in  so  doing  use  moderation  as  much  as  he 
possibly  can,  and  especially  about  the  merchandise 
necessary  to  life,  as  wheat,  wine,  salt,  meat,  fish, 
wool,    linen    and    hides,    so    that    merchants    may 
trade  in  them  more  freely,    and  that  the  people 
may  have  them  at  a  lower  price,  who  by  this  means 
will  be  content,  and  instead  of  murmuring  against 
its  Prince,  will  revere  him  like  a  beneficial  star,  or 
terrestrial  God;  will  give  him  a  thousand  benedic- 
tions and  testimonials  of  its  good  will,  so  that  he 
will  not   need  soldiers,  being  safe  within  his  king- 
dom: and  as  for  foreigners  he  will  protect  himself 
by    maintaining    a    few    companies    of    constables, 
even  though  they  are  not  much  needed,  unless  to 
satisfy  mistrust,  in  case  it  may  be  possible  that  we 
may  obtain  a  universal  peace,  of  which  the  best 
result  is  the  establishment  of  commerce:  and  never- 


61  "'"'  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Monarques  doiuent  pourueoir,  k  ce  que  leurs  sub- 
iects  puissent  sans  aucune  crainte  trafiquer  tant 
par  mer  que  par  terre:  ce  qu'vn  chacun  pourra 
aisement  faire  en  son  est  at  particulier.  Et  pour 
bien  commencer,  faudroit  prendre  le  soing  non 
seulement  des  grosses  riuieres,  mais  aussi  des  moin- 
dres,  &  rendre  celles-cy  capable  de  porter  bateaux, 
attendu  qu'en  cela  gist  toute  la  commodite  du 
commerce,  si  bien  que  ceux  qui  n'ont  aucune 
riuiere,  font  venir  des  eaux  par  artifice,  comme 
les  Brabansons  qui  ont  creuse  vn  canal  depuis 
Bruxelles  iusques  k  Lescaut,  afin  de  communi- 
quer  plus  aisement  auec  ceux  d'Anuers.  On  trouue 
S3  assez  de]  belles  riuieres  en  France,  mais  elles  ne 
seruent  qu'k  noyer  les  prez  &  les  heritages  pro- 
chains,  comme  Ton  remonstra  au  conseil  du  Roy 
Charles  neufiesme,  qui  auoit  resolu  d'y  pourueoir, 
si  les  troubles  suruenus  n'eussent  rompu  le  des- 
sein.  Aussi  depuis  peu  de  temps  on  a  propose 
le  moyen  de  ioindre  quelques  fleuues  nauigables. 
L' argent  &  la  peine  seroient  en  cela  bien  employ ez. 
Mais  il  seroit  plus  vtile  pour  le  trafic  general,  de 
ioindre  deux  mers:  ce  qui  ne  se  peut  faire  que 
par  trois  moyens,  iadis  pratiquez  auec  plus  de 
courage  que  d'effect:  c'est  k  sgauoir  en  coupant 
vndestroit  de  terre  qui  soit  entre  deux  mers:  ou 
en  conduisant  vne  tranchee  d'vn  fieuue  qui 
tombe  dans  vne  mer,  &  ne  soit  pas  esloigne  de 
I'autre:  ou  bien  ioindre  par  vne  fosse  deux  ri- 
uieres, lesquelles  s'embouchent  separement  en  di- 
uerses   mers.     Le  premier   moyen   a   este   pratique 


.  THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  62 

theless  the  monarchs  must  see  to  it  that  their  sub- 
jects can  traffic  without  fear  as  well  by  sea  as  by 
land:  which  every  person  will  be  easily  able  to  do 
in  his  particular  capacity.     And  in  order  to  begin 
well,   watch  must  be  kept  not  only  on  the  great 
rivers,   but  also  on  the  smaller,   and  render  these 
latter  capable  of  carrying  boats,   since  that  is  at 
the  base  of  commerce,  so  much  so  that  those  people 
who  have  no  river,   form  waterways  by  artificial 
means  like  the  Brabangons  who  have  dug  a  canal 
from    Brussels   to   the   Schelde,    in   order   to   com- 
municate  more   easily   with   Antwerp.     One   finds 
enough  fine  rivers  in  France,  but  they  serve  only  to 
drown  the  fields  and  the  neighboring  inheritances, 
as  was  demonstrated  to  the  council  of  King  Charles 
the  Ninth,  who  had  resolved  to  look  into  the  mat- 
ter,   if  the   troubles   that   subsequently   arose  had 
not  broken  up  this  plan.     Within  a  short  time  a 
plan  has  been  proposed  to  join  a  few  navigable 
rivers.     Money   and   trouble   would   be   well   spent 
in  that.     But  it  wotdd  be  more  useful  for  general 
traffic  to  join  two  seas ;  which  can  only  be  done  in 
three  ways,  formerly  practiced  with  more  courage 
than   effect:  to  wit,  in  cutting  through   a   narrow 
piece   of  land   that  Hes   between   two   seas:   or  in 
digging  a  trench  from  a  river  that  flows  into  one 
sea,  and  is  not  far  distant  from  the  other:  or  else 
join  by  a  ditch  two  rivers,  which  empty  separately 
in    different    seas.     The    first    plan    was    practiced 


63  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

par  le  Roy  Demetrius,  &  les  Empereurs  Jules, 
Caligula,  Neron,  qui  ont  tasche  de  couper 
I'Hexamilo,  qui  separe  la  mer  Mgee  d'auec 
rionique,    mais    ils    n'ont  rien  gaigne.     Le  second 

34  moyen  fut  employe]  par  Ptolomee  qui  fit  vne 
fosse  entre  le  Nil  &  la  mer  rouge,  mais  il  ne  pour- 
suiuit  pas,  ay  ant  este  aduerti  que  ceste  mer  estoit 
plus  haute  que  I'Egypte,  &  par  consequent  q'elleu 
noyeroit  tout  le  pays.  Apres  la  reuolution  de 
plusieurs  siecles  les  Soldans  &  les  Turcs  ont  eu 
le  mesme  dessein,  pour  se  faciliter  le  chemin  aux 
Indes.  Le  dernier  moyen  pour  ioindre  les  mers 
a  plus  heureusement  reussi  h  Charlemagne.  Car 
il  accoupla  les  riuieres  d'Almona  &  de  Radantia, 
en  Franconie,  dont  I'vne  tombe  dans  le  Danube, 
&  de  Ik  dans  la  mer  Mediterranee :  1' autre  se  ioinct 
au  Mein  &  au  Rhein,  &  se  rend  finalement  en 
r  Ocean  d'HoUande:  Ainsi  on  alloit  euiter  beau- 
coup  de  destours  qu'il  faut  faire,  &  vne  infinite 
de  hazards  &  incommoditez  qu'on  souffre  pour 
passer  d'vne  mer  k  I'autre.  Mais  lors  qu'on  estoit 
en  ceste  besongne,  les  pluyes  furent  si  grandes, 
qu'elles  comblerent  la  fosse  de  bourbier.  II  seroit 
aise  de  mertre  fin  a  ce  beau  dessein,  si  la  paix 
estoit  en  AUemagne.  II  y  a  vn  autre  endroict, 
ou    ces    deux    mers    se    pourroient    ioindre.     Cest 

35  en  Languedoc,]  en  tirant  vne  tranchee  de  I'Aude 
qui  va  par  Narbone  dans  la  mer  Mediterranee, 
insques  k  la  Reige  qui  se  mesle  auec  la  Garonne,  & 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  64 

by  King  Demetrius,  and  the  Emperors  Julian, 
Caligula,  Nero,  who  tried  to  cut  the  Hexamilo, 
which  separates  the  ^gian  Sea  from  the  Ionic, 
but  they  gained  nothing.  The  second  plan  was 
employed  by  Ptolemy,  who  dug  a  trench  between 
the  Nile  and  the  Red  Sea,  but  he  did  not  keep  on, 
having  been  informed  that  that  sea  was  higher 
than  Egypt,  and  consequently  that  it  would  sub- 
merge the  whole  country.  After  the  lapse  of 
several  centuries  the  Sultans  and  Turks  had  the 
same  design,  in  order  to  facilitate  their  road  to 
India.  The  last  plan  to  join  the  seas  was  more 
successfully  carried  out  by  Charlemagne.  For  he 
coupled  the  rivers  Altmiihl  and  Rednitz  in  Fran- 
conia,  one  of  which  falls  into  the  Danube,  and 
from  there  into  the  Mediterranean:  the  other  joins 
itself  to  the  Main  and  the  Rhine,  and  falls  finally 
into  the  Ocean  of  Holland:  Thus  they  were  going 
to  avoid  many  windings  that  must  be  made,  and  an 
infinity  of  hazards  and  inconveniences  that  one 
suffers  to  pass  from  one  sea  to  the  other.  But 
while  they  were  at  this  work,  the  rains  were  so 
great,  that  they  filled  the  ditch  with  mud.  It 
would  be  easy  to  finish  this  beautiful  design  if  there 
were  peace  in  Germany.  There  is  another  place 
where  these  two  seas  could  join.  It  is  in  Lan- 
guedoc,  by  digging  a  trench  from  the  Aude  which 
goes  by  Narbonne  into  the  Mediterranean,  to  the 
Ariege  which  mixes  itself  with  the  Garonne,   and 


65  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

entre   dans   1' Ocean   Aquitanique.     Le    Roy    Fran- 
cois   premier    proiettoit    d'obliger    ses    subiets    par 
ceste   action   qui  ne   luy   eust   pas   moins   apporte 
de  reputation  que  ses  victoires,  si  la  mort  ne  luy 
eust    enuie    cest    honneur.     De    mesme    fagon    il 
seroit   aise   d'accourcir  le   chemin  de  la  mer   Cas- 
pienne  h  la  mer  Maiour,  en  coupant  vne  petite  es- 
pace  de  terre  depuis  le  Tane  tombant  au  marais 
Meotide,    &   pont-Euxin,  iusques    k    Volga    qui    se 
rend   h  la   mer   Caspienne:    car   ces   deux  riuieres 
approchent   en  quelques  endroicts  fort   prez   I'vne 
de    r autre.     Cela    rendroit    le    commerce   de   Mos- 
chouie  &  des  Indes   beaucoup   plus   facile   &   plus 
libre.     le  confesse  que  telles  entreprises  sont  grandes 
&  penibles,  mais  aussi  elles  sont  dignes  des  grands 
Monarques,  lesquels  ne  doiuent  employer  le  temps 
de  paix  qu'en  actions  esclatantes,  releuees,  &  profita- 
bles    au     public,     comme     celle-cy,     qui     tendent 
k    I'establissement    &    commodite    du    commerce.] 
36     Quel   plaisir   seroit-ce,    de   veoir   les   hommes   aller 
de    part    &    d'autre    librement,    &    communiquer 
ensemble   sans   aucun   scrupule   de   pays,    de   cere- 
monies,    ou    d'autres   diuersitezsemblables,    comme 
si  la  terre  estoit,    ainsi   qu'elle  est  veritablement, 
vne  cite  commune  k  tous?     II  n'y  a  que  les  sau- 
uages    &    voleurs    qui    puissent    empescher    vn    si 
grand    bien:    mais    il    est   vraysemblable,    que    se 
voyans  seuls,  ils  penseront  k  leur  conscience.     Que 
s'ils  veulent  continuer  leur  fagon  de  viure  brutale, 
ils   ne   sont   pas   bastans   pour   resister   k  vn   con- 
sentement  general  de  tant  de  peuples,  qui  leur  cour- 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  66 

enters   into   the   Aquitanic    Ocean.     King    Francis 
the  First  planned  to  help  his  subjects  by  this  deed 
which  would  have  brought  him  no  less  reputation 
than  his  victories,   if  death  had  not  envied  him 
this  honor.     In  the  same  way  it  will  be  easy  to 
shorten  the  way  from  the  Caspian  Sea  to  the  Maiour 
Sea,  by  cutting  a  small  bit  of  land  from  the  Tanais 
falling  into  the  Meotide  marshes  and  the  Euxine, 
to  the  Volga  which  flows  to  the  Caspian  Sea:  for 
these   two   rivers   approach  in   a  few  places   very 
close    to    one    another.      That    would    make    the 
commerce     of     Muscovy     and     the    Indies    much 
easier  and  more  free.      I  confess  that  such  enter- 
prises  are   great   and   difficult,   but   also   they   are 
worthy  of  the  great  monarchs,  who  must  employ 
times  of  peace  only  in  deeds,  shining,  exalted  and 
profitable  for  the  public  like  this  one,  which  tend 
to  the  establishment  and  accommodation  of  com- 
merce.    What  a  pleasure  it  would  be,  to  see  men 
go  here  and  there  freely,  and  mix  together  without 
any  hindrance  of  country,  ceremonies,  or  other  such 
like  differences,  as  if  the  earth  were  as  it  really  is, 
a  city  common  to  all.     There  are  only  the  savages 
and  thieves  that  can  prevent  so  great  a  good :  but 
it  is  quite  possible,  that  seeing  themselves  alone, 
they  will  think  of  their  conscience.      That  if  they 
wish   to   continue   to   live  in  their   brutal   fashion, 
they  are  not  sufficient  to  resist  the  general  con- 
sensus  of   so   many   peoples,    who   will   fall    upon 


67  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

ront  sus,  &  les  iront  bloquer,  assaillir  &  tuer 
comme  pauures  bestes  dans  leurs  gistes.  La  guerre 
sera  tousiours  bonne  contr'eux,  si  on  ne  les  pent 
reduire  a  la  raison.  Et  pour  le  regard  des  voleurs 
de  terre,  il  est  aise  de  les  dompter,  ou  de  viue  force, 
ou  par  famine,  en  leur  retranchant  les  viures,  si 
d'auanture  ils  tiennent  des  lieux  inaccessibles, 
comme  ils  ont  en  plusieurs  endroicts.  Les  pirates 
sont  plus  difficiles  k  attraper,  k  cause  de  la  large 
campagne  de  la  mer,  qui  leur  sert  d'asyle  &  de 
37  refuge.  Toujtesfois  pour  en  venir  h  bout,  il  y 
a  deux  moyens  tous  dissemblables :  la  liberalite 
&  la  force.  Pompee  pratiqua  I'vn  &  I'autre  contre 
les  Corsaires,  qui  tenoient  en  subiection  la  mer 
mediterranee,  &  auoient  reduict  1' Italic  en  vne 
extreme  necessite  de  viures.  Car  apres  auoir 
esquipe  vn  bon  nombre  de  vaisseaux,  il  leur  donna 
la  chasse,  en  deffit  vne  partie,  contraignit  le  reste 
d'accepter  les  conditions  qu'il  leur  proposa,  &  leur 
ay  ant  oste  les  ports  qu'ils  occupoient,  les  escarta 
en  diuers  lieux,  en  leur  baillant  quelques  terres 
pour  s'entretenir,  &  ainsi  rompit  leur  association, 
pendant  laquelle  ils  s'estoient  rendus  inuincibles. 
Si  les  Roys  &  potent  at  s  d'auiourd'huy  ont  vne 
bonne  intelligence  ensemble,  ils  pourront  en  peu 
de  temps  nettoyer  la  mer  de  ces  brigands.  C'est 
vne  honte  que  non  seulement  on  les  tolere,  mais 
aussi  on  leur  donne  des  lieux  d 'importance  pour 
retraicts,  comme  Alger  en  Barbaric.     Le  grand  Seig- 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  68 

them   and  will   block,    attack   and  kill   them   like 
poor  beasts  in  their  lairs.      War  will  always  be  a 
good  thing  against  them,  if  they  cannot  be  brought 
to  reason.     And  as  regards  robbers,  on  land  it  is 
easy  to  subdue  them,  either  by  main  force,  or  by 
famine,  by  cutting  oif  their  suppHes,  if  perchance 
they  hold  inaccessible  places,   as  they  do  in  sev- 
eral localities.     Pirates  are  more  difficult  to  catch, 
because  of  the  wide  extent  of  the  sea,  which  serves 
them  as  an  asylum  and  refuge.      Nevertheless  to 
finish  them,  there  are  two  dissimilar  plans:    liber- 
ality and  force.      Pompey  practiced  the  one  and 
the  other  against  the  pirates,  who  held  in  subjec- 
tion the  Mediterranean  Sea  and  had  reduced  Italy 
to    an    extreme    want    of    provisions.       For    after 
having    equipped    a   good    number   of   vessels,    he 
chased    them,    defeated    a    part,    forced    the    re- 
mainder to  accept  the  conditions  that  he  offered 
them,  and  having  taken  from  them  the  ports  that 
they  occupied,  scattered  them  in  various  localities, 
leased  them  some  lands  to  support  themselves,  and 
thus   broke   up   their   association,    which   while   it 
lasted  made  them  invincible.      If  the  Kings  and 
potentates   of  to-day  have   a  good  understanding 
together,  they  can  in  a  short  time  sweep  the  sea 
free  of  these  brigands.      It  is  a  shame  that  not 
only   they   are   tolerated,   but   also   that   they   are 
given   important   places   for   refuges,    such    as   Al- 
giers   in    Barbary.      The    Great    Lord    draws    but 


69  LE    NOVVEAV   CYn6e. 

neur    tire    peu    de    profit,     &    moins    d'honneur 
de  cela,  &  bien  que  telles  gens  luy  peuuent  rendre 

38  seruice,  en  vne  occasion;  il  luy  seroit  toujlesfois 
plus  scant,  de  mettre  en  ses  villes  vne  garnison 
de  braues  &  genereux  soldats,  que  de  se  declarer 
si  ouuertement  protecteur  des  Corsaires.  Au  sur- 
plus, la  paix  le  dispensera  de  ceste  subiection, 
&  les  autres  Monarques  employeront  de  leur  part 
toute  leur  puissance,  pour  exterminer  les  voleurs. 
Mais  ie  serois  d'aduis,  de  tenter  auparauant  le 
voye  de  douceur,  &  leur  offrir  quelque  honneste 
appoint ement.  La  pauurete  contrainct  plusieurs 
de  mener  vne  vie  illicite:  ceste  cause  cessant, 
ils  se  soubsmettront  a  la  police  commune.  L' im- 
portance est  de  leur  assigner  pension,  ou  plus- 
tost  des  heritages.  II  y  a  tant  de  terres  qui  sont 
inutiles  par  faute  d'estre  cultiuees:  que  si  on  les 
vouloit  deff richer,  elles  suffiroient  pour  nourrir 
vne  infinite  de  pauures.  II  y  a  pareillement  force 
lieux  marescageux,  dont  on  feroit  de  bonnes  terres 
si  les  eaux  en  estoient  escoulees.  Ce  qui  occa- 
sionna  les  Romains  de  donner  commission  k  plu- 
sieurs Magistrats  pour  nettoyer  &  desseicher  ceste 
grande  palus  qui  est  sur  la  chemin  de  Naples,  mais 
ils  se  sont  portez  trop  I'entement  en]  cest  affaire, 

39  de  sorte  que  ce  quartier-lk  est  encore  auiourd'huy 
plein  de  bourbe,  qui  pourroit  estre  conuerti  en 
bonnes  prairies  ou  terres  k  bled,  si  les  hommes 
y  vouloient  trauailler:  le  diray  le  mesme  des  ma- 
rescages  &  terres  desertes  de  Languedoc,  Prouence 
&    autres     cantons     de     ce     Royaume,     qui     tes- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  70 

little  profit,  and  less  honor  from  that,  and  even 
though  such  gentry  can  render  him  a  service  on 
occasion:  it  would  be  more  becoming  for  him, 
nevertheless,  to  place  in  those  cities  a  garrison  of 
brave  and  generous  soldiers,  than  to  declare  him- 
self so  openly  the  protector  of  privateers.  Be- 
sides, peace  will  dispense  him  of  this  subjection, 
and  the  other  monarchs  will  employ  on  their  part 
all  their  power,  to  exterminate  the  robbers.  But 
I  would  be  of  the  opinion,  to  try  in  the  first  place 
mildness,  and  offer  them  some  honest  salary. 
Poverty  forces  many  to  lead  an  illicit  existence: 
this  cause  ceasing  they  would  submit  to  the  com- 
mon policy.  The  important  thing  is  to  assign  them 
a  berth  or  better  still  some  permanent  position. 
There  are  so  many  lands  that  lie  useless  because 
they  are  not  cultivated:  that  if  they  were  cleared, 
they  would  suffice  to  nourish  an  infinity  of  poor. 
There  are  likewise  many  marshy  places,  of  which 
good  lands  could  be  made  if  the  waters  were 
drained  from  them.  Which  caused  the  Romans 
to  give  commissions  to  a  number  of  magistrates  to 
clean  and  dry  that  great  marsh  which  is  on  the 
road  to  Naples,  but  they  proceeded  too  slowly  in 
that  business,  so  that  that  locality  is  still  to-day 
full  of  mud,  which  could  be  converted  into  good 
prairies  or  wheat  lands,  if  men  would  work  at  it: 
I  will  say  the  same  of  the  marshes  and  desert  lands 
of  Languedoc,  Provence  and  other  cantons  of   this 


71  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

moignent  le  mauuais  mesnage,  ou  la  negligence  des 
Frangois.  S'il  y  a  de  la  difficulte  en  cela,  elle  se  peut 
surmonter  par  vne  laborieuse  perseuerance.  Rien 
n'est  impossibile  a  la  main  &  industrie  de  I'liomme. 
Les  ^gyptiens  ont  employe  tant  de  temps  & 
d' argent  h  bastir  leurs  Pyramides,  qui  n'ont  serui 
que  d ' ostentation :  A  plus  forte  raison  doit-on 
s'efforcer  de  rendre  la  fertilite  h  ces  campagnes 
steriles,  pour  le  soulagement  d'vne  infinite  de  pau- 
ures.  Et  au  cas  qu'elles  ne  fussent  propres  ny 
suffisantes  pour  accommoder  les  pirates,  il  fau- 
droit  leur  achepter  des  terres  de  labour,  &  les  en- 
saisiner  d'icelles,  h  la  charge  de  les  entretenir  en 
bon  est  at,  &  d'en  payer  vne  petite  rente  par  forme 
de  recognoissance.  Ceste  largesse  se  feroit  aux 
depens  du]  public,  mais  il  en  tireroit  le  profit. 
40  On  achette  aucunefois  bien  cherement  la  paix 
d'vn  ennemy.  Pourquoy  ne  preuiendroit-on  pas 
les  mauuais  desseins  de  ces  gens-lk,  qui  denoncent 
la  guerre  k  tout  le  monde,  par  vne  liberalite  hon- 
neste,  qui  leur  amoUiroit  le  coeur,  addouciroit 
le  courage,  &  les  reduiroit  a  vne  vie  tranquille. 
II  y  a  des  naturels  qui  ne  se  peuuent  gaigner  au- 
trement,  &  comme  ces  deux  roches  dont  parle 
Pline,  ne  bougent  de  leur  place,  quand  on  les 
pousse  rudement,  mais  en  les  touchant  du  bout 
du  doigt  on  les  esbranle ;  aussi  plusieurs  se  rangent 
h  la  raison  par  douceur,  qui  ne  fleschiroient 
3,ucunement   soubs  la  violence,      II    n'y    a    point 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  72 

kingdom,  which   bear  witness  to  the  bad  manage- 
ment,  or  the  neglect  of  the  French.      If  there  is 
difficulty  in  this,  it  can  be  overcome   by   a   labo- 
rious perseverence.       Nothing  is  impossible  to  the 
hand   and  the  industry   of  man.      The   Egyptians 
employed  so  much  time  and  money  to  build  the 
Pyramids,  that  served  only  for  ostentation:     For  all 
the  more  reason  must  an  effort  be  made  to  give 
back  fertiHty  to  those  sterile  fields,  for  the  relief  of 
an  infinity  of  poor.     And  in  case  they  were  neither 
suitable  nor  sufficient  to  accommodate  the  pirates, 
it  would  be  necessary  to  buy  for  them  arable  lands, 
and  give  them  to  them,   on  condition  that  they 
would  keep  them  up  in  good  condition,  and  pay  a 
small   rent   as   an   expression   of  gratitude.      This 
liberaHty  would  be  done  at  the  public  expense,  but 
it  would  receive  the  profit.      One  buys  sometimes 
peace    very    dearly    from    an    enemy.       Why    not 
anticipate   the   bad   designs   of  those  people,    who 
denounce  war  to  all  the  world,  by  an  honest  liber- 
ality, which  would  soften  their  hearts,  molHfy  their 
courage,    and    reduce    them    to    a    tranquil    life? 
There  are  natures  that  cannot  be  won  otherwise, 
and  like  those  two  rocks  which   Pliny  speaks  of 
which  do  not  stir  from  their  place  when  you  push 
them  vigorously,   but  by  touching  them  with  the 
end  of  the  finger,  you  cause  them  to  move;   in  the 
same   way   many   are   brought   to   reason   through 
gentleness,    who   would   not   bend   before   violence. 


73  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

de  plus  belle  victoire  ny  de  plus  asseuree,  que  celle 
de  la  courtoisie,  &  clemence.  Vn  Prince  ne  sera 
iamais  blasme  quand  il  fera  le  profit  de  son  peu- 
ple  &  le  sien  en  quelque  maniere  que  ce  soit. 
L'Empereur  Solyman  fit  vn  traict  de  maistre 
politique,  quand  il  rechercha  d'accord  Dragut  & 
Barberousse  Archipirates :  il  les  regut  en  son  Con- 
seil,  leur  donna  des  gouuernemens  &  charges  hono- 
41  rabies,]  afin  d'auoir  la  paix  en  ses  estats,  bref 
de  puissans  ennemis  en  fit  de  bons  amis.  Ce 
moyen  d'attirer  les  Corsaires  k  la  vertu  est  loiiable, 
afin  que  par  leur  exemple  les  autres  soient  rangez 
a  leur  deuoir,  &  aussi  de  peur  que  le  desespoir  ne 
les  incite  a  commettre  de  plus  grandes  cruautez. 
Que  si  quelques  vns  veulent  continuer  leur  volerie, 
ils  les  faut  poursuiure,  &  chastier  sans  aucune 
misericorde:  A  ceste  fin  chaque  Prince  deuroit 
entretenir  tousiours  quelques  vaisseaux  pour  com- 
bat re  ces  monstres  marins.  August e  pourueut  dili- 
gemment  h  cela:  Car  outre  les  vaisseaux  qu'il 
auoit  au  port  d'Ostie,  de  Freius,  &  sur  le  Rhein, 
Danube,  &  Euphrate,  il  entretenoit  deux  grandes 
flottes,  I'vne  k  Misene  qui  gardoit  les  costes  de 
France,  Hespagne,  Afrique,  ^gypte,  Sardaigne 
&  Sicile:  1' autre  a  Rauenne  qui  couroit  en  Grece 
&  en  rOrient.  II  ne  tiendra  qu'aux  Monarques 
de  ce  temps,  que  les  chemins  de  la  mer  ne  soient 
asseurez.  C'est  honneur  &  profit  pour  eux.  Le 
Roy  d' Hespagne  y  met  peine  de  son  coste.     Car 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  74 

There  is  not  a  victory  more  beautiful  or  more 
assured,  than  that  of  courtesy  and  clemency.  A 
Prince  will  never  be  blamed  when  he  seeks  the 
good  of  his  people  and  his  own  in  whatever  man- 
ner that  it  may  be.  The  Emperor  Solyman  made 
a  master  stroke  of  politics,  when  he  tried  to  accord 
the  arch  pirates  Dragut  and  Barbarossa:  he  re- 
ceived them  into  his  council,  gave  them  govern- 
ments and  honorable  posts,  in  order  to  have  peace 
in  his  states,  in  short  of  powerful  enemies  he  made 
good  friends.  This  means  of  attracting  privateers 
to  virtue  is  praiseworthy,  so  that  by  their  example 
the  others  may  be  faithful  to  their  duty,  also  for 
fear  that  despair  incites  them  to  commit  even 
greater  cruelties.  That  if  a  few  wish  to  continue 
their  stealings,  they  must  be  pursued,  and  chastise 
them  without  mercy:  To  this  end  each  Prince 
should  always  maintain  a  few  vessels  to  fight  these 
marine  monsters.  Augustus  provided  diligently 
for  that:  For  besides  the  vessels  that  he  had  in 
the  harbor  of  Ostia,  of  Frejus,  and  on  the  Rhine, 
Danube,  and  Euphrates,  he  maintained  two  great 
fleets,  one  at  Messina  which  guarded  the  coasts 
of  France,  Spain,  Africa,  Egypt,  Sardinia  and 
Sicily:  the  other  at  Ravenna  which  cruised  to 
Greece  and  the  Orient.  It  depends  only  on  the 
monarchs  of  this  time,  that  the  routes  of  the  sea 
are  safe.  It  is  honor  and  profit  for  them.  The 
King  of  Spain  takes  pains  to  do  his  part.      For 


75  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

son   Lieutenant   de   Goa,    tous   les   ans   vogue   sur 

42  r Ocean]  des  Indes  Orientals  auec  vne  armee  nauale, 
pour  empescher  les  courses  des  Pirates:  &  k  mesme 
fin  il  entretient  bonne  garnison  en  la  ville  S.  Domi- 
nique, qui  pour  la  commodite  de  sa  situation 
commande  a  toute  la  mer  du  nouueau  monde.  Les 
autres  Roys  peuueent  pareillement  affranchir  leurs 
costes  de  brigandages,  &  par  ce  moyen  le  commerce 
estant  asseure  les  hommes  auront  vne  belle  oc- 
casion de  s'addonner  au  trafic  tant  par  mer  que 
par  terre.  Que  si  quelqu'vn  ne  se  sent  propre, 
ou  s'il  n'est  enclin  a  la  negotiation,  il  y  a  d'autres 
mestiers  qui  conuiennent  au  menu  peuple.  Non 
que  pour  cela  ils  soient  mesprisables:  car  I'archi- 
tecture,  la  peinture,  I'orfeurerie,  I'horlogerie,  I'ou- 
urage  des  soyes,  des  toiles  &  autres  arts  que 
nous  appellons  mechaniques,  ne  cedent  gueres 
en  inuention  ou  subtilite  aux  arts  liberaux,  &  en 
vtilite  les  surpassent.  Occasion  pourquoy  il  seroit 
bon  pour  encourager  les  artisans,  de  leur  proposer 
recompense,  &  d'establir  en  toutes  les  villes  vn 
officier,    qui  regeuroit   les   noms   de   ceux   qui   ex- 

43  celleroient  en  quelque  art  afin  de  les  apjpointer 
suiuant  leur  capacite,  laquelle  ils  feroient  veoir 
en  presence  des  maistres  ouuriers.  Ceste  Police 
esueilleroit  les  esprits,  les  retireroit  de  I'oisiuete, 
&  leur  feroit  embrasser  gayement  vne  vacation, 
soubs  I'espoir  d'estre  pourueus  en  cas  qu'ils 
s'acquittassent    bien    de   leur   charge:     Et    ce    qui 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  76 

his  Lieutenant  of  Goa,  every  year  cruises  on 
the  Ocean  of  the  East  Indies  with  a  naval  army, 
in  order  to  prevent  the  raids  of  pirates:  and 
to  the  same  end  he  maintains  a  good  garrison 
in  the  town  of  St.  Dominique,  which  owing 
to  its  situation  commands  all  the  sea  of  the 
new  world.  The  other  Kings  can  likewise  free 
their  coasts  of  brigandage,  and  by  this  means 
commerce  being  assured  men  will  have  a  fine  occa- 
sion to  give  themselves  up  to  trade  as  well  by  sea 
as  by  land.  That  if  anyone  does  not  feel  fitted 
for,  or  does  not  care  for  commerce,  there  are  other 
vocations  that  suit  plain  people.  Not  for  that 
that  they  are  to  be  despised:  for  architecture, 
painting,  the  goldsmith's  art,  watchmaking,  the 
making  of  silks,  of  linens  and  other  arts  that  we 
call  mechanical,  do  not  yield  much  in  invention  or 
painstaking  to  the  liberal  arts,  and  in  usefulness 
surpass  them.  For  this  reason,  it  would  be  well 
to  encourage  the  artisans,  to  offer  them  recom- 
pense, and  to  establish  in  all  towns  an  officer,  who 
would  receive  the  names  of  those  who  excelled 
in  some  art  in  order  to  appoint  them  according  to 
their  capacity,  which  they  would  show  in  the  pres- 
ence of  master  workmen.  This  policy  would  wake 
up  the  individuals,  would  withdraw  them  from 
idleness  and  would  cause  them  to  enter  cheerfully 
on  a  vocation,  with  the  hope  that  they  would  be 
provided  for  in  case  they  did  their  work  well:    And 


77  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

les  encourageroit  le  plus,  ce  seroit  de  veoir  le  soing 
que  le  Magistrat  auroit  de  leur  profession  attendu 
qu'il  n'y  a  rien  qui  excite  plus  la  vertu  ou  I'in- 
dustrie,  que  la  recompense  donnee  par  au thorite 
publique.  On  verroit  alors  vne  belle  contention 
entre  les  hommes  de  mesme  qualite:  chacun  s'ef- 
forceroit  a  surpasser  son  compagnon,  pour  r' em- 
porter  le  bruict  &  1' attestation  d'auoir  bien  faict 
en  son  mestier.  Mais  nous  ne  sommes  sur  le  poinct 
de  veoir  vn  tel  ordre.  Les  arts  sont  mesprisez 
&  en  particulier  &  en  general.  II  n'y  a  presque 
moyen  en  ce  siecle  de  paruenir  k  vne  fortune  medi- 
ocre par  aucun  honneste  exercice.  Vn  homme 
quelque  industrie,  quelque  eminence  de  sgauoir, 
ou  artifice  qu'il  aye  en  sa  vacation,  n'est  non  plus 
44  estime]  qu'un  chetif  apprenti,  &  ne  sgait  h  qui 
il  se  doibt  addresser,  pour  gaigner  sa  vie,  s'il  n'a 
autre  support  ou  respondant  que  la  suffisance. 
A  qui  aura-il  recours?  A  ces  semblables?  La 
ialousie  les  empeschera  de  luy  vouloir  du  bien, 
&  quand  il  feroit  merueilles,  il  luy  faut  trouuer 
argent  pour  se  faire  passer  maistre:  autrement 
il  ne  luy  sera  permis  de  tenir  boutique.  Cela 
sans  doubte  est  capable  d'aneantir  tous  les  arts, 
&  de  rendre  tant  d'hommes  faitneans,  qui  aiment 
mieux  battre  le  paue,  seruir  d'estafiers  &  coupe- 
iarets,  ou  mendier,  que  de  trauailler,  voyans  le 
peu  d'estat  qu'on  fait  des  bons  ouuriers  & 
ingenieux.     II    faut     done     auoir     soing    des    arts 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  78 

what  would  encourage  them  the  most,  would  be  to 
see  the  care  that  the  magistrate  would  have  of 
their  profession  since  there  is  nothing  else  that 
excites  more  virtue  or  industry,  than  a  reward  given 
by  public  authority.  One  would  see  then  a  fine 
contest  between  men  of  the  same  occupation: 
every  one  would  try  to  surpass  his  companion,  to 
carry  off  the  applause,  and  the  certificate  of  having 
done  well  at  his  trade.  But  we  are  not  on  the 
point  of  seeing  such  an  order  of  things.  The  arts 
are  despised,  both  in  particular  and  in  general. 
There  is  hardly  a  way  in  this  century  to  acquire  a 
modest  fortune  by  any  honest  means.  A  man, 
whatever  industry,  eminence  of  knowledge,  or 
skill  he  may  have  in  his  work,  is  no  more  thought 
of  than  a  paltry^  apprentice,  and  does  not  know  to 
whom  he  should  address  himself,  in  order  to  gain 
his  livelihood,  if  he  has  no  other  support  or  backer 
than  assurance.  To  whom  will  he  turn?  To  his 
fellow  beings?  Jealousy  will  prevent  them  wishing 
him  well,  and  when  even  if  he  does  marv^ellous 
work,  he  must  find  money  in  order  to  be  admitted 
master:  otherwise  he  will  not  be  allowed  to  keep 
a  shop.  That  no  doubt  is  capable  of  crushing  all 
the  arts,  and  to  make  so  many  men  good  for  noth- 
ing, who  hke  better  to  walk  the  streets,  serve  as 
bulHes  and  cut-throats,  or  beg,  rather  than  work, 
seeing  the  small  esteem  which  is  the  lot  of  good 
workers  and  ingenious  ones.     Care  must  be  taken 


79  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

mechaniques,  &  y  apporter  le  reglement  susdict,  afin 
que  le  simple  peuple  s'y  addonne  soubs  I'esperance 
de  profit,  &  d'entretien  sortable  k  sa  condition. 
Car  Lycurgus  n'auoit  point  raison  de  defendre  les 
ouurages  de  main,  &  le  trafic  a  ses  Citoyens,  ne 
leur  laissant  que  le  bouclier  &  I'espee.  C'estoit 
violenter  la  societe  humaine,  &  luy  oster  ses  beaux 
ornemens,  voire  mesme  la  d'espoiiiller  des  choses 
45  les  plus  nejcessaires.  Son  ordonnance  estoit  bonne 
pour  la  Republique  des  bestes,  qui  n'ont  que  les 
dents  &  les  griff es.  Numa  fit  plus  sagement  qui 
departit  le  peuple  de  Rome  par  confrairies,  & 
en  establit  autant  qu'il  y  auoit  de  mestiers,  re- 
cognoissant  que  le  corps  d'vne  ville  estoit  compose 
d' artisans  &  marchands,  &  que  sans  eux  vn  est  at 
ne  pouuoit  subsister,  &  perdoit  sa  forme.  le 
vous  laisse  a  penser  en  quelle  peine  nous  serions, 
si  nous  n'auions  point  de  laboureurs,  vignerons, 
tisserands,  tanneurs,  forgerons,  mareschaux,  chi- 
rurgiens,  teinturiers,  massons,  charpentiers,  fon- 
deurs,  cordonniers,  foulons,  cordeurs,  orf cures,  po- 
tiers,  tourneurs,  &  autres  semblables  ouuriers,  de 
qui  nous  tenons  non  seulement  nos  commoditez, 
mais  aussi  la  vie.  De  dire  que  telles  vacations 
appartiennent  aux  esclaues,  comme  estimoit  Ly- 
curgus, cest  vne  impertinence,  attendu  qu'vn  homme 
prudent  &  accort  ne  mesprise  iamais  vne  chose 
dont  il  ne  se  peut  passer.  Et  a  quel  propos  des- 
daigner  les  arts  mechaniques,  principalement   celles 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  80 

then  of  the  mechanical  arts,   and  bring  to  them 
the  regulations  just  mentioned,  so  that  the  common 
people  may  take  it  up  with  the  hope  of  profit,  and 
a  maintenance  conformable  to  their  condition.     For 
Lycurgus  was  mistaken  in  forbidding   manual   la- 
bor, and  trade  to  his   citizens,  leaving  them  only 
the     shield     and    the     sword.     It    was    violating 
human   society,    and  taking  from  it   its  beautiful 
ornaments,   even  depriving  it   of  the  most  neces- 
sary   things.      His    ordinance  was    good    for    the 
Republic    of   beasts,  which    have    only   teeth   and 
claws.     Numa  acted  more  wisely  who  divided  the 
Roman    people    into    fraternities,   and   estabHshed 
as   many   as   there   were   trades,    recognizing   that 
the  body  of  a  city  was  composed  of  artisans  and 
merchants,   and  that  without  them  a  State  could 
not   subsist,    and   lost   its   form.      I   leave  you  to 
imagine  what  trouble  we  would  be  in  if  we  had  no 
cultivators,    wine   growers,    weavers,    tanners,    iron 
workers,     blacksmiths,     surgeons,     dyers,     masons, 
carpenters,     founders,     shoemakers,     fullers,     rope 
makers,    goldsmiths,    potters,    turners,    and    other 
similar  workmen,  from  whom  we  receive  not  only 
our  commodities,   but  also  our  life.     To  say  that 
such  vocations  belong  to  slaves,   as  Lycurgus  be- 
lieved,   is   an   impertinence,    since   a   prudent   and 
reasonable    man    never    despises    a   thing    without 
which   he   cannot   get   along.     And   to   what   pur- 
pose disdain  the  mechanical  arts,  especially  those 


81  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

qui   monstrent   vne   dexterite,    outre    le   profit    & 

46  plaisir]  qu'elles  apportent?  Au  reste  ce  n'est 
pas  I'estat  qui  honore  I'homme,  mais  plustost 
rhomme  qui  faict  honneur  k  son  estat,  comme 
disoit  Epaminonde,  lors  qu'on  luy  bailla  vne  che- 
tiue  commission,  &  peu  conuenable  k  ses  merit es. 
Toutesfois  les  hommes  qualifiez  ou  pour  la  no- 
blesse de  leur  race,  au  pour  la  subtilite  de  leur  es- 
prit, deuroient  plustost  s'occuper  aux  sciences, 
&  sur  tout  a  celles  qui  regardent  I'vtilite  de  la  vie, 
assauoir  la  Medecine  &  les  Mathematiques.  Pour 
le  regard  de  celles-cy,  on  ne  les  peut  trop  recom- 
mander,  si  nous  considerons  I'estendue  de  leur 
obiect,  &  la  grandeur  de  leur  pratique,  outre  la 
certitude  de  leurs  demonstrations,  &  la  facilite 
qui  conuioit  iadis  les  enfans  k  les  apprendre. 
Quant  k  la  medecine,  bien  que  plusieurs  la  deni- 
grent,  son  vtilite  est  euidente,  &  pour  vne  raison 
qu'on  pourra  braquer  contr'elle,  il  y  en  a  cent 
qui  luy  seruiront  de  contrebatterie  pour  la  de- 
fendre.  lettons  vn  peu  la  veue  sur  les  auttres 
sciences.  La  Theologie  surpasse  nostre  capacite. 
La  Dialectique  n'est  que  seruante  &  portiere  des] 

47  autres.  La  physique  est  vne  cognoissance  de  na- 
ture, qui  depend  de  I'experience.  La  Rhetorique 
est  superflue.  La  Jurisprudence  n'est  pas  plus 
necessaire,  &  vn  bon  iugement  naturel  suffit  pour 
terminer  les  procez,  sans  auoir  recours  k  vne 
milliace  de  loix  &  decisions,  qui  enuelopent  les 
causes,  au  lieu  de  les  demesler.   La  grammaire  poesie 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  82 

that  show  dextrousness,  over  and  above  the  profit 
and  pleasure  that  they  bring?     Besides  it  is  not 
the  station  that  honors  the  man,   but  rather  the 
man  who  brings  honor  to  his  station,   as  Epami- 
nondas  said,  when  he  was  assigned  a  paltry  com- 
mission,   and    Httle    suitable    to    his    merits.     Still 
the    men    qualified    either    by    nobility    of    their 
family,     or    for    the    cleverness    of    their    minds, 
should   rather   devote   themselves  to   the   sciences, 
and    especially    to    those    that    relate    to    things 
useful  to  life,   to  wit,   medicine  and  mathematics. 
In    reference    to    these    latter    one    cannot    recom- 
mend them  too  much,  if  one  consider  the  breadth 
of  their  subject,  and  the  grandeur  of  their  practice, 
besides  the  certainty  of  their  demonstrations,  and 
the  facility  that  invited  formerly  children  to  learn 
them.     As    for    medicine,    although    many    beUttle 
it,  its  utility  is  evident,   and  for  one  reason  that 
could  be  brought  against  it,   there  are  a  hundred 
that  will  serve  as  counter  batteries  to  defend  it.  Let 
us  glance  a  little  upon  the  other  sciences.     Theology 
surpasses    our    capacity.     Dialectics    is    only    sub- 
servient and  an  aid  to  the  others.     Physics  is  a 
knowledge  of  nature  that  depends  on  experience. 
Rhetoric  is  superfluous.     Jurisprudence  is  also  not 
necessary,    and   a   good   natural   judgment   is   suf- 
ficient  to   finish   lawsuits,    without   resorting   to   a 
multitude    of   laws    and   decisions   that   only   con- 
fuse   cases    instead    of    simpHfying    them.     Gram- 


83  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

&  histoire  sont  plus  specieuses  que  profit ables.  Tel- 
lement  qu'en  toutes  les  honnestes  disciplines  ces 
detix-lk  tiennent  les  premiers  rangs,  pour  ce  qui 
concerne  I'vsage  public,  &  partant  doiuent  estre 
recommandees,  sans  preiudice  neantmoins  des  autres 
qui  seruent  de  grand  ornement.  Voila  les  ex- 
ercices  ausquels  les  Princes  pourront  contraindre 
leurs  subiects,  afin  qu'ayans  dequoy  s'emploier, 
ils  ne  s'amusent  h  troubler  le  repos  public: 
Et  ainsi  nous  aurons  reiette  les  causes  &  pretextes 
de  la  guerre.  Vne  autre  consideration  pourtant 
se  presente  encore.  C'est  rinimitie  &  s'il  faut 
ainsi  parler,  lantipathie  qui  se  truue  entre  plu- 
sieurs  peuples  ou  pour  leurs  vieilles  querelles,  ou 
48  pour  la  diuersite  de  leur  religion.]  Car  comment 
est-il  possible,  dira  quelqu'vn,  d'accorder  des  peu- 
ples qui  sont  si  separez  de  volonte  &  d'affection, 
comme  le  Turc  &  le  Persan,  le  Frangois  &  I'Hes- 
pagnol,  le  Chinois  &  le  Tartare,  le  Chrestien  & 
le  luif  ou  Mahometain?  le  dis  que  telles  inimitiez 
ne  sont  que  politiques,  &  ne  peuuent  oster  la  con- 
ionction  qui  est  &  doibt  estre  entre  les  hommes. 
La  distance  des  lieux,  la  separation  des  domi- 
ciles n'amoindrit  point  la  proximite  du  sang.  EUe 
ne  peut  non  plus  oster  la  similitude  du  naturel, 
vray  fondement  d'amitie  &  societe  humaine. 
Pourquoy  moy  qui  suis  Frangois  voudray-ie  du 
mal  k  vn  Anglois,  Hespagnol  &  Indien?  le  ne 
le  puis,    quand    ie    considere    qu'ils    sont   hommes 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  84 

mar,  poetry  and  history  are  more  specious  than 
profitable.  So  much  so  that  in  all  the  honest 
exercises  those  two  hold  the  first  rank,  in  so  far 
as  concerns  public  use,  and  therefore  must  be 
recommended,  without  prejudice  nevertheless  of 
the  others  that  serve  as  great  ornaments.  These 
are  the  exercises  to  which  Princes  could  force 
their  subjects,  so  that  having  employment  enough, 
they  should  not  amuse  themselves  by  troubling 
public  peace.  And  thus  we  will  have  thrown  off 
the  causes  and  pretexts  of  war.  Another  consider- 
ation however  still  presents  itself.  It  is  the  hostility 
and  if  we  must  say  so,  the  antipathy  which  exists 
between  several  peoples  either  on  account  of  their 
old  quarrels  or  because  of  the  diversity  of  their 
religion.  For  how  is  it  possible,  some  one  will  say, 
to  bring  in  accord  peoples  who  are  so  different  in 
wishes  and  affections,  as  the  Turk  and  the  Persian, 
the  Frenchman  and  the  Spaniard,  the  Chinese  and 
the  Tatar,  the  Christian  and  the  Jew  or  the  Mo- 
hammetan?  I  say  that  such  hostilities  are  only 
political,  and  cannot  take  away  the  connection  that 
is  and  must  be  between  men.  The  distance  of 
places,  the  separation  of  domiciles  does  not  lessen 
the  relationship  of  blood.  It  cannot  either  take 
away  the  similarity  of  natures,  true  base  of  amity 
and  human  society.  Why  should  I  a  Frenchman 
wish  harm  to  an  Englishman,  a  Spaniard,  or  a 
Hindoo?      I  cannot  wish  it  when  I  consider  that 


85  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

comme  moy,  que  ie  suis  sublet  comme  eux  h  erreur 
&  peche,  &  que  toutes  les  nations  sont  associees 
par  vn  lien  naturel,  &  consequemment  indis- 
soluble. Qui  fait  qu'vn  homme  ne  peut  reputer 
vn  autre  estranger,  si  ce  n'est  en  suiuant  1 'opinion 
commune  &  inueteree  qu'il  a  regeu  de  ses  pre- 
decesseurs.  Ie  diray  le  mesme  pour  le  regard 
des  Religions  qui  passionnent  tant  les  hommes, 
49  &  les]  acharnent  les  vns  contre  les  autres,  si  que 
vn  Chrestien  quand  il  rencontre  vn  luif  ou  Ma- 
hometain,  pense  estre  contamine  de  leur  aspect, 
&  s' imagine  de  veoir  vn  demon:  d' autre  part  ceux- 
cy  &  les  pay  ens  ont  en  pareil  horreur  les  Ghres- 
tiens.  Ie  mets  en  auant  ces  quatre  Religions  pource 
qu'elles  sont  les  plus  communes,  &  toutes  les  autres 
en  dependent.  Les  Chrestiens  blasment  les  Mo- 
hametains  pour  leurs  superstitions  &  opinions  ridi- 
cules. Ceux-cy  accusent  les  Chrestiens  de  blas- 
phemes &  impiete  &  n'en  parlent  iamais  qu'auec 
mespris.  Les  payens  se  targuent  de  leur  an- 
tiquite,  &  s'estiment  heureux  de  perseuerer  en  leurs 
sacrifices.  Les  luifs  se  mocquent  de  tout  cela, 
&  bien  qu'ils  soient  hays  &  chassez  de  tout  le  monde, 
neantmoins  ils  tirent  de  la  vn  argument  de  bene- 
diction &  faueur  diuine,  d'autant  que  parmy  tant 
d'ennemis,  au  milieu  de  tant  de  persecutions  ils 
se  sont  maintenus,  &  se  maintiennent  encore 
en  despit  des  attaques  &  assauts  qu'on  leur 
donne.     Les  Histoires   loiient  les  Messeniens,  de  ce 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  86 

they  are  men  like  me,  that  I  am  subject  like  them 
to  error  and  sin  and  that  all  nations  are  bound 
together  by  a  natural  and  consequently  indestruc- 
tible tie,  which  ensures  that  a  man  cannot  con- 
sider another  a  stranger,  unless  he  follows  the 
common  and  inveterate  opinion  that  he  has  re- 
ceived from  his  predecessors.  I  will  say  the  same 
as  regards  the  religions  which  so  arouse  men's 
passions,  and  set  them  against  one  another,  so  that 
when  a  Christian  meets  a  Jew  or  a  Mohammetan, 
he  thinks  he  is  contaminated  by  their  presence  and 
imagines  he  sees  a  demon:  on  the  other  hand  these 
and  the  pagans  hold  Christians  in  equal  horror.  I 
bring  these  four  religions  to  the  fore  because  they 
are  the  most  common,  and  all  the  others  depend 
upon  them.  The  Christians  blame  the  Mohamme- 
tans  for  their  superstitions  and  ridiculous  opinions. 
These  latter  accuse  the  Christians  of  blasphemy 
and  impiety  and  speak  of  them  only  with  disdain. 
The  Pagans  boast  of  their  antiquity,  and  consider 
themselves  fortunate  to  continue  their  sacrifices. 
The  Jews  mock  at  all  that,  and  even  though  they 
are  hated  and  chased  from  all  the  world,  never- 
theless they  draw  from  this  an  argument  of  divine 
benediction  and  favor,  since  among  so  many 
enemies,  in  the  midst  of  so  many  persecutions  they 
have  maintained  themselves,  and  still  maintain 
themselves  in  spite  of  the  attacks  and  assaults 
they    receive.       Histories    praise    the    Messenians, 


87  LE   NOVVEAV  CYNEE. 

qu'estans  refugiez  en  vn  pays  estrange,  I'espace  de 

50  trois]  cens  ans,  ils  n'ont  aucunement  change  leur 
langue  ny  anciennes  coustumes.  On  se  doibt  bien 
plus  estonner  des  luifs,  qui  depuis  tant  de  siecles 
ont  constamment  perseuere  en  la  creance  de  leurs 
peres.  Or  toutes  ces  Religions  se  fondent  sur 
preuues,  alleguent  leurs  miracles,  &  chacun  pre- 
sume que  la  sienne  est  la  meilleure.  le  n'ay  pas 
entrepris  de  vuider  ce  differend.  Vn  plus  suffisant 
que  moy  y  seroit  bien  empesche.  Seulement  ie 
diray  qu'elles  tendent  toutes  k  vne  mesme  fin,  k 
sgauoir  a  la  recognoissance  &  adoration  de  la  di- 
unite.  Que  si  aucunes  ne  choisissent  pas  le  bon 
chemin,  ou  moy  en  legitime,  c'est  plus  tot  par  sim- 
plicite  &  mauuaise  instruction,  que  par  malice, 
&  par  consequent  sont  plus  dignes  de  compassion 
que  de  haine.  Qu'est-il  besoin  de  se  faire  la  guerre 
pour  la  diuersite  des  ceremonies?  Ie  ne  diray 
pas  de  Religion,  veu  que  le  principal  poinct  d'icelle 
gist  en  I'adoration  de  Dieu,  qui  demande  plus- 
tost  le  coeur  des  hommes,  que  le  culte  exterieur 
&  les  sacrifices,  dont  on  fait  tant  de  Parades:    Non 

51  que  ie  vueille  conclure  au  mespris  des  cerejmonies; 
mais  ie  dis  que  nous  ne  deuons  persecuter  ceux 
qui  ne  veulent  point  embrasser  les  nostres.  Par 
la  loy  de  -Moyse  il  est  defendu  de  mesdire  des 
Dieux  estrangers,  &  dans  le  temple  de  Salomon  on 
receuoit  indifferemment  les  offrandes  des  idolatres. 
Et  maintenant  les  hommes  ruineroient  volon- 
tiers  ceux  qui  ne  s'accordent  pas  k  leur  foy.     lis 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  88 

because  having  sought  refuge  in  a  foreign  land, 
for  a  space  of  three  hundred  years,  they  have  in 
no  way  changed  their  language  or  ancient  customs. 
One  must  be  far  more  astonished  at  the  Jews,  who 
since  so  many  centuries  have  constantly  persevered 
in  the  faith  of  their  fathers.  Now  all  these  relig- 
ions are  based  on  evidence,  alleging  their  miracles, 
and  each  one  presumes  that  his  is  the  best.  I  have 
not  undertaken  to  solve  this  difficulty.  A  more 
knowing  one  than  I  would  be  much  confused:  only 
I  will  say  that  all  the  religions  tend  to  the  same 
end,  namely,  the  recognition  and  adoration  of  the 
Divinity.  And  if  some  do  not  choose  the  good 
road  or  the  legitimate  way,  it  is  more  from  sim- 
plicity and  ill  teaching  than  from  malice,  and 
therefore,  they  are  more  worthy  of  compassion 
than  of  hatred.  Is  it  necessary  to  wage  war  for 
the  diversity  of  ceremonies,  I  will  not  say  of 
religion,  since  the  chief  object  of  these  lies  in  the 
adoration  of  God,  who  demands  rather  the  heart 
of  men,  than  the  exterior  worship  and  sacrifices,  of 
which  so  much  parade  is  made:  Not  that  I  wish 
to  conclude  to  the  disdain  of  ceremonies;  but  I 
say  that  we  should  not  persecute  those  who  do 
not  wish  to  embrace  ours.  By  the  law  of  Moses 
it  is  forbidden  to  slander  strange  Gods,  and  in  the 
temple  of  Solomon  they  received  indifferently  the 
gifts  of  idolators.  And  now  men  would  willingly 
ruin  those  who  do  not  agree  with  their  faith.     They 


89  LE    NOVVEAV.  CYNEE. 

leur  font  leur  procez,  &  les  condamnent  par  leur 
discours  non  pas  k  des  supplices  communs,  mais  h 
des  peines  eternelles.  La  piete  est  vn  trop  bon  arbre 
pour  produire  de  si  mauuais  fruicts,  conime  sont 
les  rancunes  inimitiez  &  mesdisances.  Ceste  vertu, 
comme  toutes  autres,  doibt  estre  accompagnee 
de  prudence,  de  peur  qu'il  ne  nous  arriue  comme 
h  Apulee,  qui  pensant  se  changer  en  oiseau,  se 
vit  transforme  en  vn  asne.  Aussi  tandis  que 
nous  taschons  de  monter  au  ciel  par  I'ingredient 
de  la  Religion,  gardons  de  tonber  en  vne  stupidite 
&  inhumanite  brutale.  le  ne  taxe  personne,  & 
ne  specifie  aucune  religion.  Tant  y  a  que  plu- 
sieurs  peuuent  estre  conparez  aux  conpagnons 
d'Vlysse,  qui  pensoient  auoir  trouuevn  riche  tresor 
52  &  ce  n'estoit  qu'vn  balon  plein  de  vent.]  La 
philautie  aueugle  vn  chacun,  &  le  metamorphose 
en  vn  second  Narcisse,  si  bien  qu'il  se  perd  de 
r  amour  de  soy  mesme:  ce  pendant  la  chanson 
pastoralle  se  verifie :  Souuent  la  chose  laide  h  Vamant 
semble  belle.  Encore  si  nous  estions  contens 
d' aimer  nos  const umes,  il  n'y  auroit  pas  subiect 
d'estonnement  ny  de  plaint e:  mais  en  cecy  nous 
sommes  dissemblables  aux  autres  amoureux,  qui 
ne  veulent  point  de  corriuaux.  Nous  au  con- 
traire  voulons  que  tout  le  monde  embrasse  nos 
persuasions  comme  vne  regie  infaillible.  Ce  vice 
est  familier  au  simple  populas,  qui  n'a  iamais 
passe  la  banlieue  de  sa  ville.  II  croit  que  tous 
sont  tenus  de  viure  comme  luy,  &  ne  prise 
que    ses    coustumes.    k    la    fagon     de     ces     niais 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  90 

prosecute  them,  and  condemn  them  by  their  dis- 
courses not  to  ordinary  punishments,  but  to  eternal 
penalties.  Piety  is  too  good  a  tree  to  produce 
such  bad  fruits,  as  are  revenges,  hatreds  and  scan- 
dals. This  virtue,  like  every  other,  must  be  accom- 
panied by  prudence,  for  fear  that  there  should 
happen  to  you  as  to  Apuleius,  who  thinking  to 
change  himself  into  a  bird,  saw  himself  trans- 
formed into  an  ass.  Thus  while  we  try  to  go  up 
to  heaven  by  the  means  of  religion,  let  us  take 
care  not  to  fall  into  a  stupid  and  inhuman  bru- 
tality. I  tax  no  one,  and  do  not  specify  any 
religion.  So  many  are  there  that  several  can  be 
compared  to  the  companions  of  Ulysses,  who 
thought  that  they  had  found  a  rich  treasure  and 
it  was  nothing  but  a  bag  of  wind.  Conceit  blinds 
every  one,  and  metamorphoses  him  into  a  second 
Narcissus,  so  that  he  is  lost  through  self  love: 
still  the  pastoral  song  verifies  itself:  Often  the  ugly 
thing  to  the  lover  seems  beautiful.  Yet  if  we  were 
content  to  love  our  customs,  there  would  be  no 
subject  of  astonishment  nor  of  complaint:  but  in 
this  we  are  different  from  the  other  lovers,  who  do 
not  want  rivals.  We  on  the  contrary  wish  that 
all  the  world  shall  embrace  our  persuasions  like  an 
infallible  rule.  This  vice  is  familiar  to  the  com- 
mon people,  who  have  never  passed  beyond  the 
suburbs  of  their  town.  He  thinks  all  are  held  to 
live  like  him,  and  only  prizes  his  customs,  accord- 


91  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

d'Athenes,  qui  estimoient  la  Lune  de  leur  pays 
meilleure  que  celle  des  autres.  Les  sages  &  diuins 
esprits  penetrent  bien  plus  loing,  &  considerent  que 
rharmonie  du  monde  est  composee  de  diuerses  hu- 
meurs,  &  que  ce  qui  est  loiiable  en  vn  lieu,  n'est  pas 
trouue  bon  par  tout,  comme  disoit  vn  gentilhomme 

53  Persan  a  Themistocle.  A  ce]  propos  il  me  souuient 
de  ce  que  raconte  ^lian,  qu'il  y  a  deux  villes 
au  nouveau  monde  bien  differentes  en  Police. 
En  I'vne  la  iustice  est  obseruee,  la  paix  est  per- 
petuelle,  &  pource  elle  se  nomme  Pieuse.  L' autre 
s'appelle  Vaillante  dont  les  habit ans  sont  tous- 
iours  armez,  &  font  incessamment  la  guerre,  ne 
pouuans  viure  en  repos.  En  tesmoignage  dequoy 
ils  trauerserent  autrefois  1' Ocean  pour  conquest er 
ces  pays:  mais  comme  ils  furent  aduertis  que 
les  j)euples  de  par  dega  c'est  a  dire  de  I'Asie, 
Europe  &  Afrique  s'addonnoient  a  la  religion, 
ils  ne  daignerent  passeroutre,  comme  s'ils  eus- 
sent  eu  honte  d'auoir  descouuert  en  vn  peuple 
incogneu  vne  telle  naiaiserie.  On  dira  de  ce  conte 
tout  ce  qu'on  voudra.  II  n'importe,  pourueu  qu'on 
recognoisse  que  les  hommes  sont  fort  bigarrez, 
&  que  ce  qui  est  honore  en  vn  endroict,  est 
abomine  ou  moqu6  en  vn  autre.  Ce  qui  occasionna 
k  mon  aduis  quelques  Philosophes  de  soustenir, 
que  I'honnestete  &  turpitude  ne  consistoit  qu'en 
phantasie    &    police    humaine.     C'estoient    des    re- 

54  sueurs.     le  le  croy  ainsi,   specialement]  en  ce  qui 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  92 

ing  to  the  way  of  those  simpletons  of  Athens,  who 
thought  the  moon  of  their  country  better  than  that 
of  others.  Sage  and  divine  souls  see  much  further, 
and  consider  that  the  harmony  of  the  world  is 
composed  of  diverse  opinions,  and  that  which  is 
praiseworthy  in  one  place,  is  not  found  good  every 
where,  as  a  Persian  gentleman  said  to  Themisto- 
cles.  To  this  purpose  he  reminds  me  of  what 
^lian  relates,  that  there  are  two  cities  in  the  new 
world  very  different  in  policy.  In  one  justice  is 
observed,  peace  is  perpetual,  and  because  of  that 
it  is  named  Pious.  The  other  is  called  Valliant 
whose  inhabitants  are  always  armed,  and  inces- 
santly wage  war,  not  being  able  to  live  quietly. 
In  witness  of  which  they  formerly  crossed  the 
ocean  to  conquer  these  countries:  but  as  they 
were  advised  that  the  peoples  on  this  side,  that  is 
to  say  of  Asia,  Europe  and  Africa  were  addicted 
to  religion,  they  did  not  deign  to  cross,  as  if  they 
had  been  ashamed  to  have  discovered  in  an  un- 
known people  such  a  silly  thing.  One  can  say  of 
this  tale  whatever  one  wishes.  It  makes  no  differ- 
ence, provided  that  one  recognizes  that  men  are 
very  variegated,  and  that  what  is  honored  in  one 
place,  is  abominated  or  mocked  in  another.  Which 
will  occasion  I  am  of  the  opinion  a  few  philosophers 
to  sustain,  that  honesty  and  turpitude  only  consist 
in  fancy  and  human  regulation.  They  were  reser- 
vations.     I   believe  this  is   so   especially  in  what 


93  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

touche  ceste  proposition.  Mais  ce  n'est  pas  tout 
de  remarquer  les  vices  de  cestuy-cy  &  de  cestuy- 
la:  il  faut  considerer  les  nostres,  &  ne  point  imiter 
ceste  fee,  qui  prenoit  ses  yeux  quand  elle  entroit 
au  logis  de  ses  voisins,  &  arriuant  en  sa  maison 
elle  les  pendoit  a  la  porte.  Que  si  la  curiosite 
nous  pousse  a  esplucher  les  deportemens  d'autruy, 
pour  le  moins  apres  auoir  contrerole  ses  defec- 
tuositez,  iettons  la  veue  sur  ce  qui  se  trouuera 
en  luy  de  louable.  Ne  faisons  point  comme  les 
Ophiogenes:  Ne  sugeons  point  le  venin  des  ac- 
tions: Ny  comme  les  mousches  qui  s' arrest ent 
plus  tost  sur  les  lieux  raboteux  &  infectez,  que 
sur  ceux  qui  sont  polls  &  purifiez.  le  croy  que 
ces  gens  la  qui  ne  suiuent  pas  la  vraye  Religion 
sont  impies,  que  leur  creance  est  absurde  &  pleine 
de  blasphemes.  Si  sont-ils  pourtant  hommes 
comme  nous,  formez  au  mesme  moule,  &  par  vn 
mesme  ouurier:  capables  de  raison,  &  des  vert  us 
morales  qui  les  peuuent  rendre  dignes  d'amitie  & 
admiration,  si  on  ne  se  laissoit  preoccuper  d'opi- 
niastrete  &  de  presomption.  Quittons  ces  deux 
55  auorjtons  de  nostre  esprit,  ces  enfans  iumeaux 
de  nostre  imbecillite,  qui  sillent  les  yeux  de  I'enten- 
dement  humain  &  empeschent  I'effet  des  bonnes 
inclinations  que  la  nature  nous  donne.  Repre- 
sentons  nous  que  la  Religion  ne  consiste  pas 
en  paroles  ny  en  actions  d'apparence.  II  ne 
suffit  pas  de  dire:  Fay  la  vraye  foy,  i'assiste 
aux   sacrifices   &  prieres  publiques.     II   faut   est  re 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  94 

touches  this  proposition.  But  it  is  not  everything 
to  notice  the  vices  of  this  one  and  that  one :  one 
must  consider  our  own,  and  not  imitate  that  fairy, 
who  took  her  eyes  when  she  entered  the  homes 
of  her  neighbors,  and  arriving  in  her  own  house 
hung  them  on  the  door.  That  if  curiosity  urges 
us  to  scan  the  bearing  of  another,  at  least  after 
having  found  fauh  with  his  defects,  let  us  glance 
at  what  is  praiseworthy  in  him.  Let  us  not  do 
like  the  Ophiogenes:  let  us  not  suck  the  poison 
from  the  deeds:  nor  like  the  flies  that  stop  rather 
on  the  rough  and  infected  places,  rather  than  on 
those  that  are  polished  and  purified.  I  believe  that 
those  people  who  do  not  follow  the  true  religion 
are  impious,  that  their  belief  is  absurd  and  full 
of  blasphemy.  If  they  are  however  men  like  our- 
selves, formed  in  the  same  mould,  and  by  the  same 
workman,  capable  of  reasoning,  and  of  the  moral 
virtues  that  can  make  them  worthy  of  friendship 
and  admiration,  if  one  does  not  allow  one's  self 
to  be  prejudiced  by  obstinacy  and  presumption. 
Let  us  quit  these  two  abortions  of  our  souls,  these 
twin  children  of  our  imbecility,  which  close  the  eyes 
of  human  understanding  and  prevent  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  good  inclinations  that  nature  gives  us. 
Let  us  represent  to  ourselves  that  religion  does 
not  consist  in  words  nor  in  superficial  actions. 
It  does  not  suffice  to  say:  I  have  the  true  faith, 
I  assist  at  the  sacrifices  and  public  prayers.     One 


95  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

homme  de  bien,  auoir  la  chant e,  sans  laquelle  la 
foy  est  superflue.  Celuy  qui  manque  de  ceste  vertu, 
n'a  pas  la  Religion  bien  emprainte  dans  le  coeur. 
Quelques  vns  seruent  Dieu  par  hypocrisie:  plu- 
sieurs  y  croyent  par  ouir  dire  &  par  accoustumance : 
mais  quand  on  voit  la  deuotion  conioncte  auec 
vne  douceur  &  charite,  c'est  signe  d'vne  ame  veri- 
tablement  religieuse.  La  piete  est  incompatible 
auec  les  animositez.  Si  nous  sommes  au  chemin 
de  salut,  h  la  bonne  heure:  essayons  d'y  amener 
ceux  qui  en  sont  dehors,  par  instruction,  &  bon 
exemple.  II  n'y  a  point  d'autres  moyens  d'ar- 
racher  les  erreurs  &  mauuaises  opinions  que  les 
56  hommes  ont  congeu  des  choses  diuines.]  Les 
mesdisances  &  detractions  n'y  font  rien:  la  force 
y  est  inutile.  Ne  le  sgauons-nous  pas?  De  verite 
ce  seroit  le  meilleur,  qu'il  y  eust  vne  seule  forme 
d'adoration,  pour  ce  que  la  diuersite  du  culte  ex- 
terieur  diuise  les  affections  des  peuples  &  les  induit 
souuent  h  se  partialiser.  Et  de  fait  les  sages  Princes 
s'opposent  aux  nouuelles  Religions,  qui  veulent 
prendre  pied:  mais  ils  endurent  celles  qui  ont 
desia  pullule,  &  tiennent  ferme  par  la  racine.  Au 
premier  cas  ils  sont  poussez  de  zele,  &  au  second 
la  necessite  les  oblige,  &  la  certitude  de  ceste 
maxime:  Que  la  guerre  diminue  la  vraye  Re- 
ligion au  lieu  de  I'aduanyer,  comme  estant  la  source 
de  toutes  vilainies,  impietez,  blasphemes  &  Atheis- 
mes,  qui  trainent  pareillement  I'estat  k  perdition. 
le  ne  diray  point  comme  Symmaque,  qu'il  n'im- 
porte   par   quelle   maniere   on   descouure   le   secret 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  96 

must  be  a  good  man,  have  charity,  without  which 
faith  is  superfluous.  He  who  lacks  this  virtue,  has 
not  reHgion  firmly  stamped  in  his  heart.  Some 
serve  God  by  hypocrisy:  many  beHeve  in  him 
by  hearsay  and  custom:  but  when  one  sees  devo- 
tion joined  to  sweetness  and  charity,  it  is  a  sign 
of  a  truly  religious  soul.  Piety  is  incompatible 
with  animosities.  If  we  are  on  the  road  to  salvation, 
so  much  the  better :  let  us  try  to  bring  into  it  those 
who  are  outside  of  it,  by  instruction,  and  good 
example.  There  is  no  other  method  of  extirpating 
the  errors  and  bad  opinions  that  men  have  con- 
ceived of  divine  things.  Slanders  and  malicious 
speeches  accomplish  nothing,  force  is  useless.  Do 
we  not  know  it?  In  truth  it  would  be  best,  if  there 
was  only  one  form  of  adoration,  because  the  di- 
versity of  outward  worship  divides  the  affections 
of  the  peoples  and  leads  them  often  to  become  par- 
tial. And  in  fact  wise  Princes  oppose  the  new 
religions,  that  wish  to  gain  a  footing:  but  they 
endure  those  that  have  already  increased,  and  have 
taken  root.  In  the  first  case  they  are  pushed  by 
zeal,  and  in  the  second  necessity  obliges  them,  and 
the  certainty  of  this  maxim:  That  war  diminishes 
true  religion  instead  of  advancing  it,  as  being  the 
source  of  all  villainies,  impieties,  blasphemies,  and 
atheism,  which  drag  in  like  manner  the  state  to 
perdition.  I  shall  not  say  like  Symmaque,  that  it 
makes  no  difference  how  one  discovers  the  secret 


97  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

de  la  diuinit^:  Encore  moins  veiix-ie  soustenir 
que  toutes  Religions  sont  introduites  par  moyens 
humains,  comme  a  escrit  vn  Theologal  de  ce 
temps,     grand     defenseur     au     reste     de     I'Eglise 

57  Catholique.  Qui  est  proprement  les  mejsurer 
toutes  k  vn  mesme  pied,  &  reuoquer  les  trois 
veritez  en  doubte,  veu  que  tout  homme  est  sub- 
iect  k  tromper  &  k  se  tromper.  Certainement 
il  y  a  vne  confession  de  foy  &  forme  de  ceremonies 
plus  regeuable  que  les  autres.  Mais  puisque  cest 
vne  grace  surnaturelle,  il  faut  qu'elle  vienne  de 
Dieu,  &  non  pas  des  hommes  qui  avec  toutes  leurs 
armes  n'ont  pas  le  pouuoir  de  faire  croire  le  moindre 
article  de  leurs  my s teres.  lis  feront  parauanture 
aller  quelques  vns  au  temple,  h  la  Synagogue,  & 
k  la  Mosquee,  mais  par  telle  violence  ils  les  ren- 
dront  Hypocrites,  non  pas  fideles.  Ceux  doncques 
qui  ont  la  vraye  Religion,  qu'ils  remergient  Dieu 
de  ceste  grace:  &  s'efforcent  de  la  monstrer  par 
bonnes  oeuures.  Qu'ils  ne  pensent  pas  reduire 
imperieusement  a  leur  volonte  la  creance  des  autres, 
en  laquelle  ils  n'ont  point  d'interest,  pourueu 
qu'ils  se  contiennent  es  bornes  de  modes  tie,  & 
netroublent  point  la  feste  de  la  tranquillite  pub- 
lique.  Cest  le  but  ou  il  faut  viser.  II  n'appar- 
tient  aux  hommes  de  punir  ou  corriger  les  defaux 

58  de  la  foy.  Cest  h  faire  celuy  qui  veoit]  les 
coeurs  &  les  plus  secrettes  pensees.  Les  f antes 
de  la  volonte  sont  punissables  selon  les  loix 
Ciuiles:  Celles  de  I'entendement  k  sgauoir  les 
fausses  opinions  n'ont  que  Dieu  pour  iuge.     Aussi 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  98 

of  divinity:    Still  less  do  I  wish  to  maintain  that 
all   religions    are    introduced    by    human    means, 
as  a  Theologian  of  the  present  time  has  written, 
a  great   defender   withal   of   the   Roman   Catholic 
Church.    Which  is  really  to  measure  them  all  by  one 
standard,  and   dismiss  the  three  truths  in  doubt, 
since  every  man  is  liable  to  deceive  and  to  be 
mistaken.    Certainly  there  is  one  confession  of  faith 
and  form  of  ceremonies  more  acceptable  than  the 
others.     But  since  it  is  a  supernatural  gift,  it  must 
come  down  from  God,  and  not  from  men  who,  with 
all  their  arms  have  not  the  power  to  compel  belief 
in  the  least  of  its  mysteries.     They  will  make  per- 
adventure  a  few  go  to  the  temple,  the  synagogue, 
and  the  mosque,  but  by  such  violence  they  render 
them  hypocrites,   not  believers.     Those  then  that 
have   the   true   reUgion,    let   them   thank   God   for 
this  grace:    and  let  them  strive  to  show  it  by  good 
deeds.     Let  them  not  think  to  subdue  imperiously 
by  their  will  the  belief  of  others,   in  which  they 
have  no  interest,   provided  that  they  hold  them- 
selves within  the  bounds  of  modesty,  and  do  not 
disturb  the  concord  of  pubHc  tranquility.     That  is 
the  mark  to  aim  at.     It  does  not  belong  to  men 
to  punish  or  correct  the  mistakes  of  faith.     It  be- 
longs to  Him  who  sees  hearts  and  the  most  secret 
thoughts.     The   faults   of   the   will   are   punishable 
by  the  civil  law:    those  of  knowledge,  to  wit,  false 
doctrines    have    only    God    for    judge.     Therefore 


99  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

ceux  qui  ont  voulu  remuer  ceste  corde  n'y  ont  rien 
gaigne.  L'Empereur  Charles  cinquiesme  zelateur  de 
sa  Religion  s'il  en  fut  oncques,  voulut  estoufer  le 
Lutheranisme  des  sa  naissance.  II  employ  a  pour 
cest  effect  les  forces  d'Hespagne,  d' Italic,  d'Al- 
lemagne  &  des  Pays-bas.  II  gaigna  des  batailles 
sur  les  Protestans,  prit  leur  chefs  prisonniers,  & 
donna  tant  d'eschec  a  ceste  nouuelle  secte,  qu'elle 
estoit  sur  le  poinct  d'estre  mattee.  Incontinent 
voicy  vn  reuers  de  fortune.  Cest  Antee  qu'il 
auoit  terrasse  redouble  sa  vigueur  de  sa  cheute. 
Vn  nouueau  ennemy  luy  vient  sur  les  bras.  Ses 
partisans  se  rebellent.  II  est  plus  empesche  apres 
sa  victoire  qu'auparauant :  en  somme  il  est  con- 
trainct  pour  I'asseurance  de  son  est  at  d'accorder 
aux  vaincus  ce  qu'ils  demandoient,  la  liberte  de 
conscience.  Le  mesme  est  arriue  a  nos  Roys, 
59  qui  ont  tente  toutes  les  voyes  k  eux  possi]bles 
pour  reunir  leurs  subiects  a  I'ancienne  creance. 
lis  ont  poursuiui  les  ennemis  d'icelle  a  feu  &  a 
sang,  les  ont  mattrassez  en  diuerses  rencontres. 
Au  partir  delk,  ils  ont  recogneu  qu'il  estoit  plus 
ais6  d'entretenir  deux  Religions  en  paix,  que  d'en 
conseruer  vne  en  guerre,  &  que  telle  desunion  de 
foy  ne  preiudicoit  point  a  I'vnion  generale.  Aussi 
nous  voyons  que  les  Turcs  viuent  paisiblement, 
bien  qu'ils  permettent  I'exercice  des  Religions  con- 
traires  k  la  Mahometane.  Les  Polonois  ne  se 
scandalizent  point  de  ceste  diuersite.     Et  le   Roy 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  100 

those  who  have  wished  to  strike  this  chord  have 
gained  nothing  thereby.  The  Emperor  Charles 
the  Fifth  a  zealot  of  his  religion  if  ever  there  was 
one,  wished  to  stifle  Lutheranism  from  its  birth. 
He  employed  for  this  purpose  the  resources  of 
Spain,  Italy,  Germany  and  the  Low  Countries. 
He  won  battles  over  the  protestants,  took  their 
leaders  prisoners,  and  gave  so  great  a  check  to 
this  new  sect,  that  it  was  on  the  point  of  being 
checkmated.  Unexpectedly  there  was  a  change 
of  fortune.  This  Antaeus  that  he  had  struck 
down  doubles  his  vigor  owing  to  his  fall.  A 
new  enemy  falls  upon  him.  His  partisans  rebel. 
He  is  more  embarrassed  after  his  victory  than  be- 
fore: after  all  he  is  constrained  for  the  safeguard 
of  his  state  to  accord  to  the  vanquished  what  they 
demanded,  liberty  of  conscience.  The  same  thing 
happened  to  our  Kings,  who  tried  every  means 
they  possibly  could  to  reunite  their  subjects  to 
the  ancient  faith.  They  pursued  its  enemies  with 
fire  and  blood,  and  crushed  them  in  various  en- 
counters. From  that  time  they  recognized  that 
it  was  easier  to  maintain  two  religions  in  peace, 
than  to  preserve  one  by  war,  and  that  such  a  lack 
of  union  in  faith  did  not  interfere  with  the  general 
union.  Also  we  see  that  the  Turks  lived  peace- 
fully, although  they  allow  the  practice  of  reHgions 
contrary  to  the  Mohammetan.  The  Poles  are  not 
scandaHzed   by   this   diversity.     And   the   King   of 


101  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

d'Hespagne  permet  aux  Indes  la  liberte  de  con- 
science. Cecy  soit  diet  pour  monstrer  que  la  differ- 
ence des  Religions  ne  peut  empescher  la  paix  vniuer- 
selle.  Mais  ce  n'est  assez  de  I'establir.  II  est  besoin 
de  I'asseurer  a  perpetuite:  ce  qui  est  tres-difficile. 
Car  pour  faire  vn  accord,  il  ne  faut  qu'vne  bonne 
inspiration  qui  touchera  le  coeur  des  Princes  ou 
la  persuasion  d'vn  homme  d'authorite,  qui  les 
reconciliera  ensemble:  &  souuentefois  la  neces- 
sity les  y  contraint,  apres  qu'ils  se  sont  harassez. 
Mais  il  semble  que  la  bonnasse  ne  peut  estre  de 
60  longueduree  en  1' Ocean  de  nos  affaires,]  ou  les 
vents  impetueux  des  ambitions  excitent  tant 
d'orages.  Posez  le  cas  que  la  paix  auiourd'  huy 
soit  signee,  qu'elle  soit  publiee  en  plein  theatre 
du  monde:  Que  sgauons-nous  si  la  posterite  en 
voudra  emologuer  les  articles?  Les  volontez  sont 
muables,  &  les  actions  des  hommes  de  ce  temps 
n'obligent  pas  leurs  successeurs.  Pour  clorre  le 
passage  h  ceste  obiection,  il  suffit  se  rememorer 
de  ce  que  nous  auons  dit  touchant  les  causes  de 
la  guerre,  lesquelles  n'estans  pas  considerables 
pour  les  raisons  cy-dessus  alleguees,  il  n'y  a  rien 
qui  puisse  occasionner  la  rupture  d'vne  paix. 
Neantmoins  pour  en  preunir  les  inconueniens.  il 
seroit  necessaire  de  choisir  vne  ville,  ou  tous  les 
Souuerains  eussent  perj^etuellement  leurs  ambas- 
sadeurs,  afin  que  les  differens  qui  pourroient  sur- 
uenir  fussent  viudez  par  le  iugement  de  toute 
I'assemblee.    Les  ambassadeurs  de  ceux  qui  seroient 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  102 

Spain  permits  in  the  Indies  liberty  of  conscience. 
This  is  said  to  show  that  the  differences  of  relig- 
ions  cannot    prevent    universal   peace.     But   it   is 
not  enough  to  establish  it.     There  is  need  to  as- 
sure it  to  perpetuity:    which  is  very  difficult.     For 
to  bring  about  harmony,  there  is  need  only  of  a 
good  inspiration  that  will  touch  the  heart  of  Princes 
or  the  persuasion  of  a  man  of  authority  who  will 
reconcile  them  together :  and  often  necessity  forces 
them    to    do    so    after    they    have    harassed   each 
other.     But   it   seems   that   calm   weather   cannot 
last  long  in  the  ocean  of  our  affairs,  where  the  im- 
petuous winds  of  ambition  excite  so  many  storms. 
Suppose  for  instance  that  peace  is  signed  to-day, 
that  it  is  pubUshed  to  the  whole  world:    how  do 
we    know   that   posterity   will    ratify   the   articles. 
Opinions  are   changeable,    and  the   actions  of  the 
men  of  the  present  time  do  not  bind  their  successors. 
To  put  an  end  to  this  objection,  it  suffices  to  re- 
member what  we  have  said  about  the  causes  of 
war,    which   not   being   considerable,    for   the   rea- 
sons given  above,  there  is  nothing  that  can  occas- 
ion the  rupture  of  a  peace.     Nevertheless,  to  pre- 
vent the  inconvenience  of  this,  it  would  be  neces- 
sary to  choose  a  city,  where  all  sovereigns  should 
have  perpetually  their  ambassadors,  in  order  that 
the  differences  that  might  arise  should  be  settled 
by    the    judgment    of    the    whole    assembly.     The 
ambassadors    of    those    who    would    be    interested 


103  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

interessez  exposeroient  Ik  les  plaintes  de  leurs 
maistres,  &  les  autres  deputez  en  iugeroient 
sans  passion.  Et  pour  authoriser  d'auantage  le 
iugement,  on  prendroit  aduis  des  grandes    Repub- 

61  liques,]  qui  auroient  aussi  en  ce  mesme  endroict 
leurs  agens.  le  dis  grandes  Republiques,  comme 
celle  des  Venitiens  &  des  Suisses,  &  non  pas  ces 
petites  Seigneuries,  qui  ne  se  peuuent  maintenir 
d'elles  mesme,  &  dependent  de  la  protection  d'au- 
truy.  Que  si  quelqu'n  contreuenoit  k  I'arrest  d'vne 
si  notable  compagnie,  il  encourroit  la  disgrace 
de  tous  les  autres  Princes,  qui  auroient  beau  moyen 
de  le  faire  venir  h  la  raison.  Or  le  lieu  le  plus 
commode  pour  vne  telle  assemblee  c'est  le  terri- 
toire  de  Venise,  pource  qu'il  est  comme  neutre 
&  indifferent  h  tous  Princes:  ioinct  aussi  qu'il 
est  proche  des  plus  signalees  Monarchies  de  la 
terre,  de  celles  du  Pape,  des  deux  Empereurs, 
&  du  Roy  d'Hespagne.  II  n'est  pas  loing  de  France, 
de  Tartaric,  Moschouie,  Polongne,  Angleterre,  & 
Dannemarch.  Quant  k  la  Perse,  la  Chine,  I'Ethi- 
opie,  &  Indes  orientales  &  occidentals,  ce  sont 
pays  bien  reculez,  mais  la  nauigation  supplee  ceste 
incommodite,  &  pour  vn  si  bon  subiect,  on  ne 
doibt  point  refuser  vn  long  voyage.  Tant  y 
a   que   ie    ne    trouue    au    monde    vne    seiour    plus 

62  projpre  k  vn  tel  affaire  que  celuy  la.  Mais  la 
difficulte  est  plus  grande  pour  le  rang,  que 
Ton  donnera  ausdits  Ambassadeurs,  qui  ne  cede- 
ront    pas    volontiers    I'vn    k    1' autre:     toutefois    ie 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  104 

would  plead  there  the  grievances  of  their  mas- 
ters and  the  other  deputies  would  judge  them 
without  prejudice.  And  to  give  more  author- 
ity to  the  judgment,  one  would  take  advice  of 
the  big  republics,  who  would  have  likewise  their 
agents  in  this  same  place.  I  say  great  Republics, 
like  those  of  the  Venitians  and  the  Swiss,  and 
not  those  small  lordships,  that  cannot  maintain 
themselves,  and  depend  upon  the  protection  of 
another.  That  if  anyone  rebelled  against  the  de- 
cree of  so  notable  a  company,  he  would  receive 
the  disgrace  of  all  other  Princes,  who  would  find 
means  to  bring  him  to  reason.  Now  the  most 
commodious  place  for  such  an  assembly  is  the  ter- 
ritory of  Venice,  because  it  is  practically  neutral 
and  indifferent  to  all  Princes:  added  thereto  that 
it  is  near  the  most  important  monarchies  of  the 
earth,  of  those  of  the  Pope,  the  two  Emperors, 
and  the  King  of  Spain.  It  is  not  far  from  France, 
Tatary,  Moscovy,  Poland,  England,  and  Denmark. 
As  for  Persia,  China,  Ethiopia,  and  the  East  and 
the  West  Indies,  they  are  lands  far  distant,  but 
navigation  remedies  that  inconvenience,  and  for 
such  a  good  object,  one  must  not  refuse  a  long 
voyage.  Certain  it  is  that  I  do  not  find  a  place  in 
the  world  more  suitable  than  that  to  such  an  un- 
dertaking. But  the  difficulty  is  greater  in  regards 
to  the  rank,  to  be  given  to  the  said  ambassadors, 
who  would  not  willingly  yield  one  to  the  other: 


105  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

diray  ce  qui  m'en  semble.  Non  que  ie  m'estime 
capable  d'vn  tel  arbitrage,  mais  d'autant  qu'il 
importe  d'esclaircir  ce  poinct,  pour  le  subiect  que 
nous  traittons.  Chacun  en  pourra  dire  son  aduis. 
Si  ie  suruois  mon  affection,  &  que  mes  desirs  eussent 
lieu,  pour  I'honneur  que  tout  homme  de  bien  doit 
a  sa  religion  &  a  son  pays,  ie  scay  estant  Catho- 
lique  &  Frangois,  ce  que  ie  deurois  opiner  Ik  dessus. 
Mais  il  n'est  pas  question  de  songer  h  soy  seule- 
ment,  il  s'agist  de  procurer  le  bien  de  la  society 
humaine,  dont  nous  sommes  les  membres,  de  ne 
mescont enter  personne,  &  donner  h  vn  chacun 
le  rang  qu'il  merite.  Ie  parleray  done  icy  in- 
differemment,  comme  si  i'auois  este  ne  en  la  repu- 
blique  imaginaire  de  Platon,  ou  en  la  region  de 
ses  I  dees.  Que  si  quelque  monarque  trouue  que 
i'ay  donne  trop  d'aduantage  aux  autres  a  son 
63  preiudice,  ie  supplieray  sa  Majeste]  de  croire  que 
ie  I'ay  fait  par  ignorance  de  sa  grandeur,  &  qu'en 
cecy  ie  me  suis  accommode  h  1' opinion  la  plus 
commune  &  apparente.  Car  ie  m' assure  que  peu 
de  gens  denieront  la  preseance  au  Pape,  tant  h 
cause  de  I'honneur  que  luy  deferent  les  Princes 
Chrestiens,  &  du  deuoir  qu'ils  luy  rendent  presque 
tous  en  faict  de  spiritualite,  que  pour  le  respect 
de  I'ancienne  Rome,  de  laquelle  il  est  Seigneur 
temporel,  &  partant  le  premier  lieu  en  toutes  as- 
semblees  luy  appartient  ou  k  son  Legat.     Quant 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  106 

nevertheless  I  will  say  what  occurs  to  me.  Not 
that  I  consider  myself  capable  of  such  an  arbitra- 
tion but  inasmuch  as  it  is  important  to  clear  up 
this  point,  for  the  subject  that  we  are  treating. 
Every  one  will  be  able  to  give  his  opinion  upon  it. 
If  I  followed  my  affections,  and  if  my  wishes  should 
come  about,  on  account  of  the  honor  that  every 
righteous  man  owes  to  his  religion  and  his  country, 
I  know  being  a  Roman  Catholic  and  a  Frenchman, 
what  I  ought  to  think  about  it.  But  it  is  not  a 
question  of  thinking  of  one's  self  only,  it  is  a  matter 
of  obtaining  the  best  for  human  society,  of  which  we 
are  the  members,  to  dissatisfy  no  one,  and  to  give  to 
every  one  the  rank  he  is  entitled  to.  I  shall  speak 
therefore,  here  impartially,  as  if  I  had  been  born 
in  the  imaginary  Republic  of  Plato,  or  in  the  region 
of  his  ideas.  That  if  some  monarch  finds  that  I 
have  given  too  much  advantage  to  the-  others  to 
his  prejudice,  I  shall  beseech  His  Majesty  to  believe 
that  I  have  done  it  from  ignorance  of  his  import- 
ance, and  that  in  this  I  have  accommodated  myself 
to  the  most  usual  and  apparent  opinion.  For  I  am 
sure  that  few  people  will  deny  precedence  to  the 
Pope,  both  on  account  of  the  honor  that  Christian 
Princes  accord  him,  and  of  the  duty  that  they 
almost  all  render  to  him  in  spiritual  matters,  as 
well  as  for  the  respect  of  ancient  Rome,  of  which 
he  is  temporal  Lord,  and  therefore  the  first  place 
in  all  assemblies  belongs  to  him  or  his  legate.     As 


107  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

au  second,  s'il  faut  attribuer  honneur  aux  Princes 
selon  la  majeste,  puissance,  &  felicite  de  leur  Mo- 
narchic, ces  qualitez  se  trouuent  si  releuees  en 
I'Empereur  des  Turcs,  que  ceste  seance  ne  luy 
pent  estre  deniee,  attendu  mesmes  qu'il  tient  la 
ville  de  Constantinople,  siege  de  I'Empire  Oriental, 
qui  va  de  pair  h  pair  auec  Rome :  aussi  elle  en  porte 
le  non.  Ces  considerations  feront  que  TEmpereur 
Chrestien,  qui  parauanture  luy  voudroit  contester 
ce  droict,  se  contentera  du  troisiesme  rang,  aussi 
volontiers  comme  les  autres  Monarques  luy  ac- 
64  cordent  librement  ceste  place.]  Car  encore  que 
les  Roys  ne  tiennent  leur  sceptre  que  de  Dieu, 
que  leur  nom  soit  auguste,  leur  personne  sacree 
&  inuiolable,  neantmoins  le  tiltre  d'Empereur  a 
este  de  tout  temps  estime  plus  specieux  &  redout- 
able.  Dont-il  appert  que  ceux-lk  se  sont  trompez, 
qui  ont  escrit  que  I'Empereur  n'estoit  qu'vn  simple 
chef  n'ayant  non  plus  d'authorit^  qu'vn  Due  de 
Venise,  &  que  la  souuerainete  de  I'Empire  estoit 
iadis  au  senat  &  au  peuple,  &  maintenant  aiix 
Etats  d'Allemagne.  Pour  confirmer  leur  dire,  ils 
alleguent  I'exemple  de  deux  ou  trois  Empereurs 
qui  ont  este  degradez.  Mais  cest  argument  n'est 
pas  vallable,  attendu  que  nous  lisons  plusieurs 
Roys  auoir  este  priuez  semblablement  de  leur 
scepter,  &  neantmoins  leurs  successeurs  sont  re- 
cogneus  pour  Souuerains.  Que  si  quelques  Em- 
pereurs ont  soubsmis  leur  puissance  k  I'assem- 
blee    des    estats,    s'ils    ne  font   rien   que    par    leur 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  108 

for  the  second,  if  honor  must  be  attributed  to 
Princes  according  to  the  majesty,  power,  and  hap- 
piness of  their  monarchy,  these  qualities  are  found 
so  marked  in  the  Emperor  of  the  Turks,  that  this 
seat  cannot  be  denied  to  him,  especially  as  he  also 
holds  the  city  of  Constantinople,  seat  of  the  Eastern 
Empire,  which  is  the  twin  equal  of  Rome:  also  it 
carries  the  name.  These  considerations  will  cause 
the  Christian  Emperor,  who  perchance  would  wish 
to  contest  him  this  right,  to  be  content  with  the 
third  place,  as  willingly  as  the  other  monarchs  will 
concede  to  him  that  place.  For  although  Kings 
hold  their  scepters  only  from  God,  that  their  name 
is  august,  their  person  sacred  and  inviolable,  never- 
theless the  title  of  Emperor  has  of  all  time  been 
considered  more  specious  and  redoubtable.  There- 
fore, it  seems  they  have  been  mistaken,  who  wrote 
that  the  Emperor  was  only  a  simple  chief  not  having 
any  more  authority  than  a  Duke  of  Venice,  and 
that  the  sovereignty  of  the  Empire  was  formerly 
in  the  Senate  and  the  people,  and  now  in  the  German 
States.  To  confirm  their  assertion,  they  allege  the 
example  of  two  or  three  Emperors  who  were  de- 
graded. But  this  argument  is  not  valid,  since  we 
read  that  several  Kings  were  deprived  similarly 
of  their  scepter,  and  nevertheless  their  successors 
are  recognized  as  sovereigns.  That  if  some  Em- 
perors submitted  their  power  to  the  assembly  of 
States,  that  if  they  do  nothing  except  with  their 


109  LE   NOVVEAV   CYn6e. 

aduis  il  ne  faut  pas  conclure  qu'ils  ayent  perdu 
pour  cela  leur  souuerainete,  non  plus  que  les  Roys 
qui  laissent  examiner  &  verifier  leurs  edicts  par  leur 

65  Conseil  ou  Parlement.]  Vne  submission  volontaire 
ne  doibt  estre  tiree  en  consequence.  Et  pour 
vn  Prince  qui  s'est  assubietti  par  modestie  ou 
nonchalance,  on  en  peut  alleguer  vne  douzaine, 
qui  se  sont  comportez  autrement,  &  n'ont  pas 
laisse  raualer  leur  puissance.  L'election  de  I'Em- 
pereur,  le  deuoir  qu'il  rend  au  Pape,  ce  sont  cere- 
monies, qui  ne  diminuent  point  sa  grandeur.  Au 
surplus  quand  il  est  question  de  iuger  dVne  chose, 
il  faut  principalement  considerer  son  origine  & 
premiere  institution,  &  non  pas  les  mutations 
qui  y  sont  sumenues.  Or  si  nous  prenons  garde 
aux  anciens  Empereurs,  nous  ne  doubterons  point 
qu'ils  n'ayent  este  Souuerains.  lules  Cesar  qui 
le  premier  k  pris  ce  tiltre,  disoit  que  la  Repu- 
blique  n'estoit  plus  qu'vn  non  sans  effect,  &  qu'il 
falloit  tenir  ce  qu'il  disoit  pour  loy  inuiolable. 
Auguste  n'estoit  pas  moins  Souuerain,  &  mesmes 
le  peuple  luy  ceda  toute  sa  puissance.  le  diray 
le  semblable  des  autres  Empereurs:  Que  s'ils 
prenoient  aduis  du  senat,  ou  iustifioient  leurs 
actions,   ce  n'estoit  par  obligation,   mais   par  mo- 

66  destie  ou  vraye  ou  simujlee.  Et  quelle  plus 
grande  marque  de  souuerainet6  voudroit-on,  que 
de   commander  absolument,  disposer  de  tout  k  son 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  110 

advice,  one  must  not  conclude  that  they  have 
lost  thereby  their  sovereign  rights,  no  more  than 
the  Kings  who  allow  their  edicts  to  be  examined 
and  verified  by  their  Council  or  Parliament.  A 
voluntary  submission  must  not  be  considered  as 
of  importance.  And  for  one  Prince  who  has  thus 
subjected  himself  through  modesty  or  carelessness, 
one  can  cite  a  dozen,  who  have  borne  themselves 
otherwise,  and  did  not  allow  their  power  to  be 
lowered.  The  election  of  the  Emperor,  the  duty 
that  he  owes  to  the  Pope,  are  ceremonies  that 
do  not  diminish  his  grandeur.  Besides  where  there 
is  necessity  to  judge  of  a  thing,  one  should  con- 
sider principally  its  origin  and  its  early  institu- 
tion, and  not  the  changes  that  have  come  upon 
it.  Now  if  we  take  notice  of  the  ancient  Em- 
perors, we  shall  not  doubt  that  they  were  sover- 
eigns. Julius  Caesar,  who  the  first  took  this  title, 
said  that  the  RepubHc  was  no  longer  an3rthing 
but  a  name  without  meaning,  and  that  what  he 
said  must  be  held  as  inviolable  law.  Augustus 
was  not  less  a  sovereign,  and  even  the  people  ceded 
to  him  all  its  power.  I  will  say  the  same  of  the 
other  Emperors:  That  if  they  took  advice  of  the 
Senate,  or  justified  their  actions,  it  was  not  through 
any  obligation,  but  owing  to  modesty,  either  real 
or  feigned.  And  what  greater  mark  of  sover- 
eignty could  be  desired,  than  to  command  ab- 
solutely,  dispose  of  everything  according  to  one's 


Ill  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

plaisir,  mesmement  de  la  vie  des  subiects,  donner 
des  Royaiunes,  &  n'estre  comptable  k  personne  ?  Les 
Empereurs  ont  ioui  de  tous  ces  droicts  la,  &  s'ils 
ont  laiss6  abastardir  leur  authorite,  il  ne  s'ensuit 
pas  que  le  tiltre  qu'ils  portent  estant  considere 
en  sa  nature,  ne  signifie  qu'vn  Capitaine  en  chef, 
comme  Bodin  a  voulu  persuader.  le  sgay  bien 
que  cela  estoit  veritable  du  temps  de  la  liberte 
des  Romains.  Car  alors  vn  general  d'armee  estoit 
qualifie  Empereur,  notamment  apres  auoir  em- 
porte  quelque  signalee  victoire,  &  n'vsurpoit  que 
pour  vn  peu  de  temps  ce  tiltre  qui  luy  seruoit 
de  surnom.  Mais  lules  Cesar  ayant  supplante 
ses  ennemis,  &  s'estant  empare  de  Rome,  releua 
bien  ceste  appellation,  &  prit  le  tiltre  d' Empereur 
pour  vn  prenom,  afin  de  le  rendre  seigneurial: 
Ce  qui  luy  acquit  I'enuie  &  haine  de  plusieurs, 
ainsi  que  les  Historiens  ont  remarque.  Mais  pour 
parler  de  nostre  temps,  les  Roys  n'auroient  point 
d'honneur  de  ceder,  comme  ils  font,  k  ce  Prince, 
67  s'ils  le  recogjnoissoient  simple  Lieutenant  ou  sub- 
iect  d'vn  autre.  Les  Roys  de  France  y  ont  in- 
terest, qui  ont  tenu  autrefois  1' Empire,  voire  I'ont 
acquis  au  prix  de  leurs  armes.  Au  moyen  dequoy 
on  ne  leur  peut  debattre  la  precedence  pour  le 
moins  par  dessus  les  autres  Roys,  attendu  qu'ils 
commandent  k  vn  peuple  le  plus  renomme  qui 
se  truue  au  monde.  Car  soit  que  nous  parlions 
des  anciens  Gaulois,  leurs  conquestes  sont  notoires 
&    les    peuplades     qu'ils     ont    fait     en    plusieurs 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  112 

pleasure,  even  of  the  lives  of  subjects,  give  King- 
doms, and  not  be  accountable  to  any  one?  The 
Emperors  enjoyed  all  those  rights,  and  if  they 
have  allowed  their  authority  to  be  lowered,  it 
does  not  follow  that  the  title  that  they  bear,  if 
considered  as  to  its  origin,  only  signifies  a  captain 
in  chief,  as  Bodin  wished  to  persuade.  I  know 
well  that  that  was  true  at  the  time  of  the  liberty 
of  the  Romans.  For  then  an  army  general  was 
called  Emperor,  notably  after  gaining  a  signal 
victory,  and  he  only  used  for  a  short  time  this 
title  which  served  him  as  a  surname.  But  Julius 
Caesar  having  supplanted  his  enemies,  and  having 
seized  Rome,  brought  to  the  fore  this  appellation, 
and  took  the  title  of  Emperor  for  prenomen,  in 
order  to  make  himself  lordly:  Which  gained  him 
the  envy  and  hatred  of  many,  as  historians  have 
remarked.  But  to  speak  of  our  times,  the  Kings 
would  have  no  honor  in  ceding,  as  they  do,  to 
this  Prince,  if  they  considered  him  a  simple  Lieu- 
tenant or  subject  of  another.  The  Kings  of  France 
have  an  interest  in  it,  who  formerly  held  the 
Empire,  indeed  acquired  it  by  means  of  their 
arms.  On  account  of  which  one  cannot  dispute 
them  precedence  at  least  over  the  other  Kings, 
since  they  govern  a  people  the  most  renowned 
to  be  found  in  the  world.  For  when  we  speak 
of  the  ancient  Gauls,  their  conquests  are  notable 
and    the    tribes   that    they    established   in    several 


113  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

regions  tesmoignent    assez   leur  valeur.      Soit    que 
nous  iettions  les  yeux  sur  les  Frangois  qui  leur  ont 
succede,  leur  nom  est  encore  auiourd'huy  redouta- 
ble,    &   fameux   plus    que    aucun  autre  parmy  les 
nations   estrangeres:     Qui   pour    ceste    cause    quit- 
teront  volontiers  le  quatriesme  lieu  au   Monarque 
d'vn  si  beau  Royaume.     Apres  luy  ie  ne  feindray 
point  de  mettre  le  Roy  d'Hespagne,  qui  en  puis- 
sance &  richesse,   egale  les  plus  grands   Roys,    & 
en   estendue   de   pays   les   surpasse.     Le    sixiesme 
lieu  pourroit  estre  debatu  entre  les  Roys  de  Perse, 
68     de  la  Chine,  le  Prete-Ian,  le  Precop  de]   Tartarie, 
&  le  grand  Due  de  Moschouie.     Neantmoins  quand 
ie  considere  que  les  Perses  ont  eu  iadis  k  leur  tour 
la  Monarchie  du  monde,  &  qu'encores  auiourd'huy 
ils  ont  vne  bonne  partie  de  leur  ancien   domaine, 
i'estime   qu'ils   douient   estre   preferez   aux    Ethio- 
piens  lesquels  aussi  semblent  deuoir  estre  preferez 
aux    Tartares,    pource    que    1' Empire    de    ceux-cy 
n'est  fonde  que  depuis  trois  ou  quatre  siecles:    & 
celuy    du    Prete-Ian    se    peut    vanter    de   son   an- 
tiquity,  outre  plusieurs  choses  qui  le  rendent   re- 
commandable.     Le  Roy  de  la  Chine  apres  le   Tar- 
tare   merite   place   au   consistoire   des    Souuerains, 
pour  I'opulence  &  encore  plus  pour  la  belle  police 
de  son  Royaume.     Le  Due  ou  Empereur  de  Mos- 
chouie  I'egale   ou    le   surpasse    en    forces.     Et    les 
Roys  de  la  grand  Bretagne,  de  Pologne,  de   Dan- 
nemarc,  de  Suede,  du  Japon  de  Marroc,  le   grand 
Mogor,    &   autres   Monarques   tant   des   Indes    que 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  114 

regions   testify   sufficiently   to   their   valor.     When 
we  look  at  the  French  who  succeeded  them,  their 
name  is  still  to-day  redout  able,  and  more  famous 
than  any  other  among  foreign  nations:    Who  for 
this  reason  will  wilHngly  abandon  the  fourth  place 
to  the  monarch  of  so  beautiful  a  Kingdom.     After 
him  I  shall  not  scruple  to  place  the  King  of  Spain, 
who    in    power    and    wealth,    equals    the    greatest 
Kings,   and  in  the  extent  of  dominions  surpasses 
them.     The  sixth  place  can  be  contested  between 
the  Kings  of  Persia,  China,  Prester  John,  the  Pre- 
cop  of  Tatary  and  the  Grand  Duke  of  Moscovy. 
Nevertheless   when    I    consider   that   the    Persians 
had  formerly  in  their  turn  the  monarchy  of  the 
world,  and  that  still  to-day  they  have  a  good  part 
of  their  ancient  domain,  I  consider  that  they  should 
be  preferred  to  the  Ethiopians  who  also  it  would 
seem  should  be   preferred   to   the   Tatars,  because 
the  empire  of  these  latter  was  founded  only  within 
three  or  four  centuries:    and  that  of  Prester  John 
can  boast  of  its  antiquity,  besides  several  things 
that  render  it  commendable.     The  King  of  China 
after  the  Tatar  merits   a  place   at  the  consistory 
of  the  sovereigns,  for  the  opulence  and  still  more 
for  the  fine  policy  of  his  kingdom.     The  Duke  or 
Emperor  of   Moscovy  equals   or  surpasses   him   in 
power.     And   the   kings  of   Great  Britain,  Poland, 
Denmark,  Sweden,  Japan,  Morocco,  the  Great  Mo- 
gul,  and  other  monarchs   as   well   from   India   as 


115  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

d'Afrique,  ne  doiuent  pas  estre  aux  derniers  rangs, 
tous  braues  Princes,  qui  se  maintienment  d'eux 
mesmes    &    ne    dependent    de    personne,     part  ant 

69  pourroient  cont ester]  le  prix  d'honneur  auec  leurs 
semblables:  toustesfois  pource  qu'en  toutes  as- 
semblees  il  f aut  garder  vn  ordre :  ie  n'en  puis  ima- 
giner  de  meilleur  &  de  plus  raisonnable  que  celuy 
que  i'ay  propose.  Que  si  quelques  Princes  ne  s'en 
contentent,  qu'ils  se  rapportent  au  iugement  des 
autres.  Cela  ne  diminuera  rien  de  leur  authorite, 
au  contraire  on  les  estimera  d'autant  plus  loiiables, 
qu'ils  se  soubsmettront  volontairement  a  la  raison. 
Car  il  ne  faut  point  dire  que  la  raison  est  au  bout 
de  I'espee.  Ceste  rodomontade  appartient  aux 
sauuages.  Les  anciens  Gaulois  s'en  sont  mal  trou- 
uez,  quand  ils  respondirent  aux  ambassadeurs  Ro- 
mains,  que  tout  estoit  aux  plus  forts.  L'issue 
funeste  de  leur  entreprise,  monstre  bien  que  ceux 
qui  rebutent  la  raison  pour  maistresse,  tombent 
finalement  en  la  puissance  de  leurs  ennemis,  qui 
les  maistrisent  bien  autrement,  &  leur  font  sentir, 
que  c'est  de  s'asseurer  en  telles  brauades.  II 
semble  qu'vn  Monarque  quel  qui  soit,  ne  doibt 
faire   difficulte   de   subir   le   iugement   de   tant    de 

70  Souuerains,  non  seulement  pour  ce  subiect,]  mais 
aussi  pour  tout  autre  different  qu'il  pourroit 
auoir  k  demesler  auec  ses  semblables.  Et  si 
les  opinions  de  I'assemblee  des  Princes  ou  leurs 
deputez  se  trouuoient,  my  parties,  &  en  egale 
balance,   comme   il   peut    arriuer,  les    deputez    des 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  116 

Africa,  must  not  be  in  the  last  ranks,  all  brave 
Princes,  who  maintain  themselves  and  do  not  de- 
pend on  anyone,  therefore  they  could  contest  the 
prize  of  honor  with  their  fellows:  still  because  in 
every  assembly  an  order  must  be  maintained:  I 
cannot  imagine  a  better  and  a  more  reasonable 
one  than  the  one  that  I  have  proposed.  That  if 
some  Princes  are  not  content  therewith,  let  them 
appeal  to  the  judgment  of  the  others.  That  will 
diminish  nothing  of  their  authority,  on  the  con- 
trary they  will  be  esteemed  all  the  more  highly, 
that  they  submit  themselves  voluntarily  to  reason. 
For  it  must  not  be  said  that  reason  is  at  the  point 
of  the  sword.  That  blustering  belongs  to  savages. 
The  ancient  Gauls  found  it  of  no  avail,  when  they 
answered  to  the  Roman  ambassadors,  that  every- 
thing belonged  to  the  strongest.  The  fatal  result 
of  their  enterprise,  shows  well  that  those  who  rebuff 
reason  as  mistress,  finally  fall  into  the  power  of 
their  enemies,  who  rule  them  far  differently,  and 
make  them  feel,  what  it  is  to  rely  on  such  bravado. 
It  seems  that  a  monarch,  whoever  he  may  be,  should 
make  no  difficulty  to  submit  to  the  judgment  of 
so  many  sovereigns,  not  only  on  this  subject,  but 
also  for  every  other  difference  that  he  might  have 
to  unravel  with  his  equals.  And  if  the  opinions 
of  the  assembly  of  the  Princes  or  their  deputies 
were  found  to  be  divided  into  two  parts  and  of 
equal  weight,  as  may  happen,  the  deputies  of  the 


117  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

Republiques  qui  auroient  voix  deliberatiue  pour- 
roient  alors  estre  appellez,  afin  de  terminer  le  debat 
par  le  contrepoids  de  leurs  suffrages.  Et  d'autant 
que  plusieurs  Princes  se  trouuent  egaux  en  majeste, 
force,  &  opulence,  qui  a  ceste  occasion  ne  vou- 
droient  pas  ceder  I'vn  h  I'autre,  ie  croy  qu'en  ce 
cas  il  seroir  bon  d'ordonner,  comme  on  faict  en 
quelques  endroicts,  que  le  premier  venu  d'entre 
eux  auroit  la  preseance,  ou  le  plus  aage,  ou  pour 
mieux  faire,  il  faudroit  imiter  les  Consiils  Romains, 
qui  commandoient  chacun  k  son  tour:  aussi  on 
partageroit  la  preseance,  qui  seroit  donnee  suc- 
cessiuement  a  ceux  qui  contest eroient.  Ce  seroit 
le  moyen  de  retrancher  tout  mescontentement, 
mais  il  ne  seroit  besoin  de  le  pratiquer  sinon  que 
entre  ceux  qui  auroient  grande  apparence  de  con- 
tester  ensemble.  Car  il  n'est  pas  raisonnable  que 
71  le  Roy  d'vne  ville  ou]  d'vne  petite  prouince  entre 
en  compromis  pour  la  seance  auec  vn  Roy  de 
France  ou  d'Hespagne:  encore  moins  vn  Due, 
Marquis,  ou  Comte,  &  m'asseure  que  les  Due  des 
Florence,  Lorraine,  Sauoye,  bien  qu'ils  soient  Sou- 
uerains,  s'estimeront  neantmoins  honorez  d'auoir 
place  en  vne  telle  assemblee,  apres  ceux  qui  iouis- 
sent  du  tiltre  de  Roy,  principalement  ceux  qui 
ne  I'ont  point  vsurpe  par  ambition  depuis  peu 
de  iours.  Si  done  ils  ont  k  debattre  la  preseance, 
cest  contre  ceux  qui  portent  semblable  qualite,  a 
syauoir  Dues,  Marquis  &  Comtes,  entre  lesquels  ie  ne 
mettray  point  icy  de  difference,  pource   que  iagoit 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  118 

Republics  who  would  have  a  deliberative  voice 
could  then  be  called,  in  order  to  finish  the  debate 
by  the  counterbalancing  weight  of  their  suffrages. 
And  in  as  much  as  several  Princes  find  themselves 
equal  in  majesty,  force,  and  opulence,  who  in  this 
matter,  would  not  wish  to  yield  one  to  the  other, 
I  believe  that  in  this  case  it  would  be  well  to  or- 
dain, as  is  done  in  a  few  places,  that  the  first  comer 
should  have  the  precedence,  or  the  oldest,  or  better 
still,  it  would  be  well  to  imitate  the  Roman  Con- 
suls, who  commanded  each  in  his  turn:  also 
one  could  divide  the  precedence  which  might  be 
given  in  succession  to  those  contesting  for  it.  This 
would  be  the  means  of  stopping  all  discontent,  but 
it  would  not  be  necessary  to  apply  it  except  among 
those  who  would  have  strong  reasons  for  contesting. 
For  it  is  not  reasonable  that  the  King  of  a  city  or 
of  a  little  province  should  enter  in  contest  for  a 
seat  with  a  King  of  France  or  Spain:  still  less  a 
Duke,  a  Marquis,  or  Count,  and  I  am  sure  that  the 
Dukes  of  Florence,  Lorraine,  Savoy,  although  they 
are  sovereigns,  will  esteem  themselves  honored 
to  have  a  place  in  such  an  assembly,  after  those 
who  enjoy  the  title  of  King,  principally  those  who 
have  not  usurped  it  through  ambition  recently. 
If  then  they  have  to  debate  the  precedence,  it  is 
against  those  who  bear  a  similar  rank,  to  wit,  Dukes, 
Marquises  and  Counts,  between  whom  I  shall  make 
here  no  difference,  because  I  believe  that  the  Duke 


119  LE   NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

que  le  Due  soit  ordinairement  estime  plus  que 
les  deux  autres,  toutefois  il  arriue  souuent  au 
contraire  que  le  Comte  ou  Marquis  a  des  Dues 
qui  releuent  de  luy,  &  partant  il  n'est  h  propos 
de  preferer  I'vn  k  I'autre  pour  le  regard  du  nom, 
mais  bien  pour  autres  eonsiderations,  eomme  pour 
la  reputation,  antiquite,  puissanee,  estendue  de 
Monarehie,  qui  sont  les  prineipaux  points  ou  il 
eonuient  prendre  garde  en  matiere  d'honneur  ou 
72  de  preseanee.]  Et  suiuant  eela  les  Roys  &  Em- 
pereurs  iugeront  les  differends  entre  lesdiets  Prinees 
du  moindre  quality,  &  leur  assigneront  k  ehacun 
leur  plaee,  laquelle  ils  aecepteront,  eomme  il  est 
k  presumer,  de  bonne  volonte.  Et  qui  seroit  le 
Prinee  si  temeraire  qui  osast  desdire  la  eompagnie 
de  tous  les  Monarques  du  monde?  Les  villes  de 
Greee  se  rapportoient  k  1' arrest  des  Amphictyons, 
&  eeux  qui  ne  leur  obeissoient,  eneouroient  I'in- 
dignation  commune,  non  seulement  du  pays,  mais 
aussi  des  estrangers:  eomme  Philippe  de  Maee- 
done  fit  paroistre  aux  Phoeenses,  &  prit  oeeasion 
de  leur  faire  vne  eruelle  guerre,  pouree  qu'ils 
auoient  este  condamnez  par  les  Amphietyons.  Et 
les  aneiens  Prinees  de  Gaule,  bien  qu'ils  eussent 
leurs  Seigneurie  &  souuerainete  k  part,  passoient 
leurs  dififerends  par  I'aduis  des  Druides,  sur  peine 
d'estre  exeommuniez  &  abominez  de  tout  le  peu- 
ple.  Et  toutefois  iamais  Conseil  ne  fut  si  auguste, 
ny    assemblee    si   honorable,   que    eelle    dont    nous 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  120 

is  ordinarily  ranked  higher  than  the  other  two, 
still  often  on  the  contrary  it  happens  that  the  Count 
or  the  Marquis  has  some  Dukes  that  hold  of  him, 
and  therefore  it  is  not  necessary  to  prefer  one  to 
the  other  on  account  of  the  name,  but  well  for 
other  considerations,  as  for  the  reputation,  antiq- 
uity, power,  extent  of  monarchy,  which  are  the 
principal  points  where  it  is  advisable  to  take  care 
in  matters  of  honor  or  precedence.  And  in  accord 
with  this  the  Kings  and  Emperors  will  judge  the 
differences  between  the  said  Princes  of  lesser 
rank,  and  will  assign  to  each  his  place,  which  they 
will  accept,  as  is  to  be  presumed,  with  good  will. 
And  who  would  be  the  Prince  so  bold  who  would 
dare  to  gainsay  the  assembly  of  all  the  monarchs 
of  the  world?  The  cities  of  Greece  submitted  to 
the  decree  of  the  Amphictions,  and  those  who 
did  not  obey  them,  encountered  the  common  in- 
dignation, not  only  of  the  country,  but  also  of 
strangers:  as  Philip  of  Macedon  demonstrated  to 
the  Phocians,  and  took  occasion  to  wage  a  cruel 
war  against  them,  because  they  had  been  condemned 
by  the  Amphictiones.  And  the  ancient  Princes 
of  Gaul,  although  they  had  their  lordships  and 
sovereignty  apart,  handed  over  their  differences  to 
the  advice  of  the  Druids,  upon  penalty  of  being 
excommunicated  and  abominated  by  the  whole 
people.  And  nevertheless  never  was  a  council 
so  august,  nor  assembly  so  honorable,  as  that  of 


121  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

parlons,  laquelle  seroit  composee  des  ambassadeurs 
de    tons    les    Monarques    &    Republiques    Souuer- 

73  aines,  qui  seroient  deposit  aires]  &  ostages  de  la 
paix  publique.  Et  pour  mieux  Tauthoriser,  tons 
lesdicts  Princes  iureroient  de  tenir  pour  loy  in- 
uiolable  ce  que  seroit  ordonne  par  la  plurality 
des  voix  en  ladicte  assemblee,  &  de  poiirsuiure 
par  armes  ce\ix  qui  s'y  voudroient  opposer.  Ceste 
compagnie  done  iugeroit  les  debats  qui  suruien- 
droient  tant  pour  la  preseance,  que  pour  autre 
chose,  maintiendroit  les  vns  &  les  autres  en  bonne 
intelligence,  iroit  au  deuant  des  mescontentemens, 
&  les  appaiseroit  par  la  voye  de  douceur,  si  faire  se 
pouuoit,  ou  en  cas  de  necessite  par  la  force.  Au 
moyen  dequoy  la  paix  est  ant  generalement  es- 
tablie  entre  tous  les  Princes,  il  ne  resteroit  sinon 
que  de  Tentretenir  particulierement  en  chaque 
Monarchie:  A  quoy  tous  les  Souuerains  trauail- 
leroient  de  leur  part,  &  n'auroient  pas  beaucoup 
de  difficult e  h,  se  faii^e  obeir  de  leur  peuple,  &  le 
tenir  en  bride.  Car  ce  qui  contrainct  les  Mo- 
narques d'endurer  de  leurs  subiects,  c'est  la  crainte 
qu'ils  ne  s'associent  des  estrangers,  ou  que  ceux- 
cy  ne  iagent  profit  des  diuisions  &  querelles  entre 

74  les  subiects  &]  le  Prince.  Or  ceste  crainte  seroit 
alors  superflue,  pource  que  par  le  moyen  de  la 
paix,  chacun  se  content eroit  de  sa  Seigneurie,  &  ne 
songeroit  k  autre  chose  qu'k  gouuerner  son  peuple. 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  122 

which  we  speak,  which  would  be  composed  of 
ambassadors  of  all  the  monarchs  and  sovereign 
republics,  who  will  be  trustees  and  hostages  of 
public  peace.  And  the  better  to  authorize  it,  all  the 
said  Princes  will  swear  to  hold  as  inviolable  law  what 
would  be  ordained  by  the  majority  of  votes  in  the 
said  assembly,  and  to  pursue  with  arms  those  who 
would  wish  to  oppose  it.  This  company  therefore 
would  judge  then  the  debates  which  would  arise 
not  only  about  precedence,  but  about  other  things, 
would  maintain  the  ones  and  the  others  in  good 
understanding;  would  meet  discontents  half  way, 
and  would  appease  them  by  gentle  means,  if  it 
could  be  done,  or  in  case  of  necessity,  by  force. 
By  which  means  peace  being  generally  established 
between  all  Princes,  there  would  remain  nothing 
except  to  maintain  it  particularly  in  each  mon- 
archy: to  which  end  all  the  sovereigns  would  work 
for  their  part,  and  would  not  have  much  difficulty 
to  make  themselves  obeyed  by  their  people  and 
hold  them  in  check.  For  what  constrains  mon- 
archs to  bear  with  their  subjects,  is  the  fear  that 
these  associate  themselves  with  strangers,  or  that 
these  latter  should  profit  by  the  divisions  and 
quarrels  between  the  subjects  and  the  Prince. 
Now  this  fear  would  then  be  superfluous,  because 
by  means  of  peace,  each  one  would  be  content 
with  his  lordship,  and  would  not  think  of  anything 
else  but  how  to  govern  his  people.     He  would  be 


123  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

II  seroit  adore  des  bons,  les  meschans  tremble- 
roient  k  son  aspect.  II  n'auroit  que  faire  d'ap- 
prehender  les  rebellions  &  partialitez,  dont-il 
viendroit  a  bout  avec  Tassistance  des  autres  Sou- 
uerains,  qui  luy  presteroient  vn  prompt  secours, 
comme  ayans  tous  interest  au  chastiment  des 
rebelles.  Et  ainsi  les  Princes  receuroient  le  prin- 
cipal fruict  de  la  paix  vniuerselle.  Car  ils  ont 
beau  faire  en  Test  at  ou  ils  sont.  Qu'ils  se  forti- 
fient  d'alliance  tant  qu'ils  voudront,  qu'ils  bas- 
tissent  des  citadelles,  &  s'arment  de  tout  costez, 
ils  auront  tousiours  dequoy  craindre,  s'ils  ne  con- 
spirent  vnanimement  a  vne  concorde  generale. 
II  ne  faut  qu'vn  Prince  ennemy  pour  les  depos- 
seder,  &  non  seulement  vn  voisin,  niais  bien  sou- 
uent  vn  peuple  recule  dont  on  se  doubtoit  le  moins 
est  capable  de  ruiner  vne  Monarchic.  Le  nom 
des  Macedoniens  estoit  obscur  &  incogneu,  ius- 
75  ques  au  temps  de  Philippe  &  Alexanjdre,  qui  as- 
subiettirent  tout  1' Orient.  Les  Gots  s'estoient 
tenus  clos  &  couuerts  en  vn  coing  d'Allemagne, 
iusques  au  regne  de  Valentinian:  lors  ils  com- 
mencerent  a  courir  le  pays  auec  vn  tel  succez, 
qu'ils  firent  en  peu  d'annees  vne  raffle  de  1' Em- 
pire Romain.  Les  Anglois  n'estoient  estimez  non 
plus  que  des  pirates  au  mesme  temps,  qui  s'em- 
parerent  neantmoins  de  la  grand  Bretagne.  II 
n'y  a  pas  quatorze  cens  ans  qu'on  parle  des  Fran- 
cois. Les  Turcs  se  sont  efueillez  du  temps  de  I'Em- 
pereur  Basile,   &  plus  encore  soubs  Constantin  le 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  124 

adored  of  the  good,  the  bad  would  tremble  at  his 
appearance.  He  would  not  need  to  fear  rebellions 
and  insurrections,  which  he  would  overcome  with 
the  assistance  of  the  other  sovereigns,  who  would 
lend  him  prompt  succor,  as  having  all  an  interest 
in  the  punishment  of  rebels.  And  thus  the  Princes 
would  receive  the  principal  fruit  of  universal  peace. 
For  they  strive  in  vain  in  their  present  state.  Let 
them  fortify  themselves  with  alliances  as  much  as 
they  wish,  let  them  build  citadels,  and  arm  them- 
selves on  every  hand,  they  will  always  have  reason 
for  fear  if  they  do  not  agree  unanimously  upon  a 
general  concord.  Only  one  hostile  Prince  is  needed 
to  dispossess  them,  and  not  only  a  neighbor,  but 
very  often  some  distant  people  whom  one  dis- 
trusted the  least,  is  able  to  ruin  a  monarchy.  The 
name  of  the  Macedonians  was  obscure  and  unknown, 
until  the  time  of  Philip  and  Alexander,  who  sub- 
dued all  the  Orient.  The  Goths  had  remained 
pent  up  and  hidden  in  a  comer  of  Germany  until 
the  reign  of  Valentinian:  then  they  began  to  over- 
run the  world  with  such  success,  that  they  made  in 
a  few  years  a  clean  sweep  of  the  Roman  Empire. 
The  English  were  not  looked  on  as  anything  more 
than  pirates  at  the  same  time,  but  they  neverthe- 
less seized  Great  Britain.  It  is  not  yet  fourteen 
hundred  years  since  the  French  are  spoken  of. 
The  Turks  awoke  in  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Basil, 
and    still    more   under   Const antine   the   gladiator. 


125  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

gladiateur.  Les  Tartares  depuis  trois  ou  quatre 
cens  ans  ont  faict  parler  d'eux:  Si  lors  que  ces 
gens  la  sortirent  de  leur  pays,  la  paix  eust  este 
generale,  on  les  eust  bien  empesche  de  s'es- 
tendre  si  auant,  comme  ils  ont  faict.  On  eust 
couni  sur  eux  de  toutes  parts,  &  n'eussent  pas 
este  bastans  pour  resister  aux  armes  associees 
de  IVniuers.  Mais  ils  se  voyoient  beau  ieu  parmy 
les  diuisions  des  peuples,  qui  estoient  bien  aises 
de  veoir  ruiner  leurs  voisins,  &  les  abandonnoient 
au  besoing,  faute  d'alliance  &  amitie  mutuelle.] 
76  Craignons  qu'il  ne  nous  arriue  ce  que  nous  auons 
faict  aux  autres.  Nous  ne  cognoissons  pas  encore 
tous  les  pais  de  la  terre  habitable.  II  y  a  peu- 
testre  quelque  peuple  vers  I'occident  ou  midi,  qui 
nous  taille  de  la  besongne.  Qui  eust  diet  il  y  a 
cent  cinquante  ans  aux  Ameriquains,  que  des 
hommes  barbus  viendroient  bientost  conquester 
leur  pais;  ils  n'eussent  tenu  compte  de  cet  ad- 
uertissement  &  s'en  fussent  moquez.  En  vn  mo- 
ment ils  ont  veu  ce  quils  n'auoient  pas  preueu, 
&  aupar auant  que  d'oiiir  le  nom  des  Hespagnols 
ils  en  ont  esprouue  la  puissance,  ne  plus  ne  moins 
qu'vn  esclair  paroist  deuant  le  grondement  du 
tonnerre.  La  distance  des  lieux,  la  difficulte 
des  chemins,  la  largeur  de  cet  effroyable  Ocean 
qui  leur  seruoit  de  rempart  naturel,  ne  les  a 
sceu  guarantir  d'vne   mine,   qui   seroit  incroyable. 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  126 

The  Tatars  since  three  or  four  hundred  years 
have  made  themselves  talked  about:  If  at  the 
time  those  people  left  their  country,  peace  had 
been  general,  they  would  have  been  restrained 
from  extending  so  far  forward  as  they  did.  They 
would  have  been  attacked  on  all  sides,  and  they 
would  not  have  been  strong  enough  to  resist  the 
combined  arms  of  the  universe.  But  they  saw 
fine  opportunities  among  the  divisions  of  the 
peoples,  who  were  quite  willing  to  see  their  neigh- 
bors ruined,  and  abandoned  them  when  necessary, 
owing  to  lack  of  alliance  and  mutual  friendship. 
Let  us  fear  that  there  happens  to  us  what  we  have 
done  to  others.  We  do  not  know  yet  all  the  coun- 
tries of  the  habitable  earth.  There  is  perhaps 
some  people  towards  the  Occident  or  the  South, 
who  is  preparing  work  for  us.  Who  would  have  said 
one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  to  the  Americans, 
that  bearded  men  would  soon  come  to  conquer 
their  country;  they  would  not  have  paid  any 
attention  to  this  announcement  and  would  have 
mocked  at  it.  In  a  moment  they  saw  what  they 
had  not  foreseen,  and  before  hearing  the  name  of 
the  Spaniards  they  felt  their  power,  no  more  no 
less  than  lightning  appears  before  the  rolling  of 
thunder.  The  distance  of  places,  the  difficulty  of 
the  roads,  the  width  of  that  terrible  ocean  which 
served  them  as  a  natural  bulwark,  did  not  succeed 
in  guarding  them  from  a  ruin,  that  would  be  in- 


127  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

si  nous  n'en  apperceuions  les  effects.  Cas  estrange! 
De  veoir  trois  cens  hommes  entrer  en  vn  pais  in- 
cogneu,  abondant  en  richesses  &  en  peuple  y  bastir 
des   forts    sans    contredict,   puis   imposer  la  loy  k 

77  tant  de  milliarts,  d'hommes,  prendre  &  tuer]  leurs 
Roys,  &  finalement  reduire  vn  fecond  monde  en 
miserable  seiiiitude,  cela  surpasse  toute  creance. 
C'estoient  des  coyons,  dirons-nous,  qui  n'auoient 
point  de  courage  ny  valeur.  Tout  beau.  Les 
Histoires  ne  parlent  pas  ainsi  d'eux:  au  contraire 
elles  tesmoignent  que  la  plus  part  de  ces  peuples 
estoit  foit  addonnee  k  I'exercice  des  armes.  Et 
quand  ils  eussent  este  foibles  en  toutes  fagons 
il  est  certain  que  Cortez  auecques  neuf  cens  Hes- 
pagnols  n'estoit  pas  capable  de  vaincre  ceux  de 
Mexique,  s'il  n'eust  este  fauorise  de  leurs  ennemis, 
qui  I'assisterent  de  deux  cens  mil  hommes,  en 
sorte  que  les  partialitez  de  ceux  du  pays  ouurirent 
la  porte  aux  estrangers,  qui  supplanterent  les 
uns  &  les  autres.  Que  si  les  estats  de  ce 
grand  monde  nouueau  eussent  este  pacifiques,  si 
ceux  qui  y  commandoient  se  fussent  contentez 
de  leur  Seigneurie,  ils  iouiroient  encore  d'vne  pleine 
liberte.  Mais  ils  ne  pouuoient  viure  k  leur  aise, 
s'ils  ne  mangeoient  les  corps  de  leurs  voisins:  ils 
vouloient  auoir  I'honneur  de  les  ranger  soubs  leur 

78  obeissance,  &  esten]dre  leur  Monarchie  tant  que 
leurs  iauelots  pourroient  atteindre.  C'este  am- 
bition les  a  ruin^s.  Qui  monstre  suffisamment, 
que  rien    ne   peut    asseurer  vn    Empire,   sinon  vne 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  128 

credible,  if  we  did  not  perceive  its  effects.  It  is 
strange!  To  see  three  hundred  men  enter  into  an 
unknown  land,  abounding  in  wealth  and  people, 
build  there  forts  without  opposition,  then  impose 
law  to  so  many  millions  of  men,  take  and  kill  their 
kings,  and  finally  reduce  a  second  world  to  a  miser- 
able servitude,  that  surpasses  all  belief.  They 
were  cowards,  we  will  say,  who  had  neither  courage 
nor  valor.  All  very  well.  The  histories  do  not 
thus  speak  of  them:  on  the  contrary  they  testify 
that  the  greater  part  of  these  peoples  were  much 
given  to  the  exercise  of  arms.  And  if  they  had 
been  weak  in  every  way,  it  is  certain  that  Cortez 
with  nine  hundred  Spaniards  was  not  capable  of 
conquering  the  men  of  Mexico,  if  he  had  not  been 
favored  by  their  enemies,  who  aided  him  with  two 
hundred  thousand  men,  so  that  the  partisanships 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  opened  the  gate 
to  the  strangers,  who  supplanted  the  ones  and  the 
others.  That  if  the  states  of  that  great  new  world 
had  been  peaceful,  if  those  who  commanded  there 
had  been  content  with  their  lordships,  they  would 
still  enjoy  a  complete  liberty.  But  they  could 
not  live  content,  if  they  did  not  eat  the  bodies  of 
their  neighbors:  they  wished  to  have  the  honor  to 
range  them  under  their  command,  and  to  extend 
their  monarchy  as  far  as  their  javelins  could  reach. 
That  ambition  ruined  them.  Which  shows  suffi- 
ciently that  nothing  can  save  an  empire,  except  a 


129  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

paix  generale,  de  laquelle  le  principal  ressort  consiste 
en  la  limitation  des  Monarchies,  afin  que  chaque 
Prince  se  contienne  es  limites  des  terres  qu'il  pos- 
sede  k  present,  &  qu'il  ne  les  outrepasse  pour  au- 
cunes  pretentions.  Et  s'il  se  truue  offense  par 
vn  tel  reglement,  qu'il  considere  que  les  bornes 
des  Royaumes  &  Seigneuries  sont  raises  par  la 
main  de  Dieu,  qui  les  oste  &  transfere  quand  & 
ou  bon  luy  semble:  que  si  son  pere  ou  ayetil  a 
este  puissant,  ses  grands  bisayeuls  &  ancestres 
plus  esloignez  ont  mene  vne  vie  priuee:  partant 
qu'il  ne  songe  point  k  recouurer  ce  que  Dieu  auoit 
preste  k  sa  race  pour  vn  temps:  mais  plustost  a 
conseruer  ce  qui  luy  reste  qu'il  n'hazarde  point 
le  certain  pour  I'incertain:  bref,  pour  retoumer 
k  nostre  propos,  s'il  a  quelques  occasions  de  se 
plaindre,  qu'il  s'addresse  k  ceste  grande  assemblee, 
comme  au  plus  competent  iuge  qu'on  sgauroit 
79  imajginer.  Voila  le  principal  moyen  d'establir  la 
paix  vniuerselle,  &  duquel  tous  les  autres  depen- 
dent. C'est  par  Ik  qu'on  doibt  commencer.  Car 
tant  que  les  Souuerains  feront  bande  k  part,  qu'ils 
n'auront  aucune  communication  ensemble  par 
I'entremise  de  leurs  ambassadeurs,  ils  tacheront 
de  s'aggrandir  k  quelque  prix  que  ce  soit,  &  trou- 
ueront  assez  de  pretexte  pour  empieter  les  vns 
sur   les   autres.     Mais   s'ils   se   contentent   de   leur 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  130 

general  peace,  of  which  the  principal  means  con- 
sists in  the  limitation  of  the  monarchies,  so  that 
each  Prince  remains  within  the  limits  of  the  lands 
which  he  possesses  at  present,  and  that  he  does  not 
pass  beyond  them  for  any  pretences.  And  if  he 
finds  himself  offended  by  such  a  regulation,  let  him 
consider  that  the  limits  of  the  kingdoms  and  lord- 
ships are  set  by  the  hand  of  God,  who  takes  them 
away  and  transfers  them  when  and  where  it  seems 
good  to  him:  that  if  his  father  or  grandfather 
was  powerful,  his  great  grandfathers  and  more 
remote  ancestors  led  a  private  life:  therefore 
let  him  not  dream  to  recover  what  God  had  pre- 
sented to  his  race  for  a  time:  but  rather  to  pre- 
serve what  remains  to  him  than  to  hazard  the 
certain  for  the  uncertain:  briefly,  to  return  to 
our  proposition,  if  he  has  some  things  to  com- 
plain of,  let  him  address  himself  to  this  great 
assembly,  as  to  the  most  competent  judge  that 
can  be  imagined.  This  is  the  principal  way  of 
establishing  universal  peace,  and  upon  which  all 
the  others  depend.  It  is  in  this  way  that  a  be- 
ginning must  be  made.  For  so  long  as  the  Sov- 
ereigns remain  separated,  that  they  have  no  com- 
munication with  one  another  by  means  of  their 
ambassadors,  they  will  try  to  aggrandize  them- 
selves at  any  cost,  whatsoever  and  will  find  suf- 
ficient pretexts  to  encroach  the  ones  upon  the 
others.     But  if  they   are  content   with   their  pres- 


131  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

fortune  presente,  s'ils  donnent  au  public  leurs 
pretentions,  comme  ils  doiuent  faire,  s'ils  s'vnis- 
sent  au  corps  de  ceste  assemblee,  de  laquelle  ils 
sont  les  membres,  ils  n'y  a  rien  qui  puisse  retarder 
vne  bonne  paix,  ny  la  rompre.  Ne  faut  point 
dire,  que  les  meschans  rempescheront,  &  qu'ils 
sont  en  plus  grand  nombre  que  les  gens  de  bien. 
Ceste  proposition  est  fausse,  &  si  elle  estoit  vraye, 
tout  seroit  perdu.  Que  ne  fait  vne  meschancete 
quand  elle  a  la  force?  Quand  ie  me  remets  deuant 
les  yeux  Test  at  des  affaires  humaines,  ie  truue 
80  que  les  hommes  sont  diuisez  en  trois  parts]  qui 
sont  a  peu  pres  egales  en  nombre:  Et  ceste  diuision 
se  peut  remarquer  en  chaque  prouince,  ville,  & 
village  ou  nous  voyons  quelques  vns  meschans, 
les  autres  gens  de  bien,  &  les  autres  imbecilles. 
Soubs  Ie  nom  d'imbecilles  ie  comprends  ceux  qui 
sont  foibles  de  corps  &  d'esprit,  principalement 
les  timides,  lesquels  ie  separe  d'auec  les  bons,  pour 
autant  que  la  timidite  empesche  vne  infinite  de 
vertueuses  actions:  c'est  pourquoy  vn  ancien 
prouerb  nous  aduertit  de  ne  point  nous  accoster 
des  pusillanimes.  Et  de  vray  telles  gens  ne  font 
ny  bien  ny  mal,  &  se  rangent  tousiours  du  cost  6 
des  plus  forts.  Quant  aux  meschans,  ils  n'osent 
faire  paroister  leur  nauuaise  volonte,  s'ils  n'ont 
vn  chef  qui  les  authorise.  C'est  alors  qu'ils  se 
mettent  en  campagne:  autrement  leur  effort  comme 
celuy  des  voleurs  est  de  peu  de  duree.     Comment 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  132 

ent  fortunes,  if  they  hand  over  to  the  people 
their  claims,  as  they  should  do,  if  they  unite 
with  the  body  of  this  assembly,  of  which  they 
are  the  members,  there  is  nothing  that  can  re- 
tard a  good  peace,  nor  break  it.  It  must  not  be 
said,  that  the  bad  people  will  prevent  it,  and 
that  they  are  in  greater  numbers  than  the  good 
people.  This  proposition  is  false  and  if  it  were 
true,  everything  would  be  lost.  What  does  not 
a  wickedness  do  when  it  has  power?  When  I 
place  before  my  eyes  the  state  of  human  affairs, 
I  find  that  men  are  divided  into  three  parts  that 
are  about  equal  in  numbers:  And  this  division 
can  be  noticed  in  every  province,  city,  and  vil- 
lage where  we  see  some  miscreants,  others  good 
men,  and  the  others  imbeciles.  Under  the 
name  of  imbeciles  I  include  those  who  are  weak 
in  body  and  mind,  principally  the  timid  ones, 
whom  I  separate  from  the  good  men,  because 
timidity  prevents  an  infinity  of  virtuous  actions: 
it  is  for  that  reason  that  an  ancient  proverb  tells 
us  not  to  saddle  ourselves  with  the  pusillanimous. 
And  in  truth  such  people  do  neither  good  nor 
harm,  and  Hne  themselves  up  always  on  the  side 
of  the  strongest.  As  for  the  bad,  they  dare  not 
show  their  bad  will,  unless  they  have  a  chief  who 
authorizes  them.  It  is  then  that  they  start  sys- 
tematic work:  otherwise  their  efforts  like  those  of 
thieves    are    of    short    duration.     How    then    will 


133  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

pourront-ils  done  empescher  vne  paix,  quand  ils 
verront  tous  les  Princes  assistez  des  gens  de  bien, 
qui  ne  leur  manqueront  iamais  pour  ce  subiect, 
&    outre    du    populas    imbecille,    qui   ne    demande 

81  pas  moins  le  re]pos?  Sans  doubt  les  deux  tiers 
emporteront  1' autre,  &  vous  verrez  tous  ces  fierabras 
soupples  comme  vn  gand  au  commandement  de 
leurs  Monarques.  Qu'on  public  seulement  la  paix 
De  par  le  Roy.  Ces  paroles  leur  feront  tomber 
les  armes  des  mains.  II  y  auroit  peut-estre  quel- 
que  difficulte  de  ramener  k  vne  vie  paisible  les 
Turcs  &  les  Tart  ares,  qui  ne  font  volontiers  autre 
exercice  que  la  guerre:  mais  ces  peuples  portent 
tant  d'obeissance  k  leurs  Princes,  que  les  voyans 
resolus  k  la  paix,  ils  ne  leur  oseront  contredire. 
Ces  deux  Monarques  n'ont  point  d'occasion  de 
faire  la  guerre,  veu  qu'ils  ont  vn  si  bel  Empire. 
Et  que  feront -ils  quand  ils  verront  tous  les  autres 
Princes  d'accord?  Non,  non.  II  n'est  plus  temps 
de  s'imaginer  des  trophees.  II  faut  quitter  ces 
meurs  barbares,  &  monstrer  au  peuple  le  chemin 
d'humanite  Sc  vray  honneur,  afin  qu'on  ne  vieu 
plus  d'vne  fagon  brutale.  II  faut  faire  regner 
la  raison  &  iustice,  &  non  pas  la  violence,  qui 
ne  conuient  qu'aux  bestes.  On  a  este  par  le 
passe   prodigue    de     la     vie    des    hommes.      On  a 

82  veu  vn  deluge]  vniuersel  de  leur  sang,  capable 
d'empourprer  la  mer  &  la  terre.  Baste.  C'es- 
toit  vne  saignee   necessaire   pour   purger  le  monde 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  134 

they  be  able  to  prevent  a  peace,  when  they  see 
their  Princes  aided  by  the  good  people,  who  will 
never  fail  them  for  this  subject,  and  besides  by 
the  foolish  people,  who  do  not  less  demand  quiet? 
Without  doubt  the  two-thirds  will  down  the  other, 
and  you  will  see  all  these  firebrands  supple  as  a 
glove  to  the  commands  of  their  monarchs.  Only 
let  peace  be  published  By  the  orders  of  the  King. 
These  words  will  make  their  arms  drop  from  their 
hands.  There  will  be  perhaps  a  little  difficulty 
to  bring  back  to  a  peaceful  life  the  Turks  and 
the  Tatars,  who  do  not  voluntarily  do  any  other 
work  except  war:  but  those  people  show  such 
obedience  to  their  Princes,  that  seeing  them  re- 
solved on  peace,  they  will  not  dare  to  contradict 
them.  Those  two  monarchs  have  no  occasion 
to  wage  war,  since  they  have  so  fine  an  Empire. 
And  what  will  they  do  when  they  see  all  the  other 
Princes  in  accord?  No,  no.  It  is  no  longer  time 
to  imagine  trophies.  One  must  abandon  those 
barbarous  customs,  and  show  to  the  people  the 
way  of  humanity  and  true  honor,  in  order  that 
they  shall  no  longer  live  in  a  brutal  way.  It  is 
necessary  to  make  reason  and  justice  reign,  and 
not  violence,  which  is  only  suited  to  the  beasts. 
One  has  been  in  former  times  prodigal  of  the  lives 
of  men.  One  has  seen  an  universal  deluge  of  their 
blood,  capable  of  turning  purple  the  sea  and  land. 
Enough.     It    was    a   bleeding   necessary   to   purge 


135  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

de  ses  humeurs  vitieuses  ou  superflues,  &  Dieu  se 
vouloit  seruir  de  ce  moyen,  pour  establir  les  Mo- 
narchies. Maintenant  qu'elles  sont  appiiyees  sur  les 
pilotis  d'vne  longue  possession,  il  ne  les  faut  esbran- 
ler,  mais  plustost  les  affermir  par  vne  bonne  paix. 
Le  grand  Solyman,  donnoit  liberalement  des  Roy- 
aumes,  disant  qu'il  estoit  rassasie  de  tant  de  gloire 
que  la  vertu  de  ses  predecesseurs  &  la  sienne  luy 
auoit  acquise.  Peut-estre  il  auoit  appris  cela 
de  Caesar,  qui  estoit  attedie  de  triomphes,  & 
n'en  vouloit  plus.  Quoy  que  ce  soit  il  faut 
se  lasser  de  mal  faire.  Remettons  I'espee  au 
fourreau.  II  n'est  pas  question  d'exercer  des 
inimitiez  immortelles.  Nous  auons  excite  assez 
d'orages.  II  est  temps  de  donner  le  calme  &  la 
serenite  k  ce  grand  Ocean,  en  y  iettant  I'huile  de 
reconciliation  parfaite.  Cela  depend  des  vos  Maj- 
estez,  Grand  Monarques.  Vous  pouuez  appaiser 
83  tous  les  troubles  du  monde,  &  ranger  vos]  peuples 
h  I'obeissance  des  loix  de  nature,  &  des  vostres. 
Que  demandez  vous  d'auantage?  La  paix  vous 
entretient  en  grandeur,  en  respect,  &  en  seurete: 
au  contraire  la  guerre  diminue  toutes  ces  choses, 
&  souuent  les  oste  tout  a  faict,  auec  I'honneur 
&  la  vie.  Quant  vous  auriez  subiugue  tout  le 
monde,  ce  qui  n'est  iamais  arriue  k  personne,  8c 
iamais  n'arriuera,  en  fin  vous  seriez  contraincts 
de  vous  reposer,  attendu  que  la  guerre  se  fait 
pour   auoir   la   paix.      Ce   que    vous    feriez    en  la 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  136 

the  world  of  its  vicious  or  superfluous  inclinations, 
and  God  wished  to  avail  himself  of  this  means, 
to  establish  the  Monarchies.  Now  that  they  are 
based  upon  the  piles  of  a  long  possession,  they 
must  not  be  strangled,  but  rather  affirmed  by  a 
long  peace.  The  great  Solyman,  freely  gave  King- 
doms, saying  that  he  was  satiated  with  so  much 
glory  which  the  virtue  of  his  predecessors  and 
his  own  had  gained  him.  Perhaps  he  had  learnt 
that  from  Caesar,  who  was  surfeited  with  triumphs, 
and  did  not  wish  any  more.  Whatever  it  may 
be,  one  must  become  weary  of  evil  doing.  Let 
us  replace  the  sword  in  the  scabbard.  It  is  not 
a  question  of  maintaining  everlasting  hostilities. 
We  have  raised  enough  storms.  It  is  time  to 
give  calm  and  serenity  to  this  great  ocean,  by 
throwing  upon  it  the  oil  of  perfect  reconciliation. 
That  depends  of  your  Majesties,  Great  Monarchs. 
You  can  appease  all  the  troubles  of  the  world, 
and  place  your  peoples  in  obedience  to  the  law 
of  nature,  and  to  your  own.  What  do  you  ask 
in  addition?  Peace  maintains  you  in  grandeur, 
in  respect,  and  in  safety:  on  the  contrary  war 
diminishes  all  these  things,  and  often  takes  them 
away,  together  with  honor  and  life.  If  you  had 
subjugated  the  whole  world,  a  thing  which  has 
never  happened  to  any  one,  and  will  never  happen, 
finally  you  will  be  forced  to  repose  yourselves, 
since  war  is  waged  to  obtain  peace.     What  you 


137  LE    NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

Monarchic  de  I'vmuers,  faites-le  en  celle  qui  est  entre 
vos  mains.  Vous  voyes  le  peu  de  profit  que  vous  faites 
par  armes,  &  si  vous  gaignez  quelque  ville,  dans 
peu  de  temps  vous  la  perdez,  ou  bien  vne  autre 
qui  valoit  mieux:  &  souuent  apres  auoir  deffaict 
vos  ennemis,  rauage  leurs  ten-es,  la  necessite  vous 
force  d'entendre  k  vne  paix,  ou  trefue,  par  faute  de 
viures,  ou  par  vne  maladie,  qui  depeuple  vne  armee, 
&  faict  perdre  le  fruict  d'vne  conqueste  laborieuse, 
laquelle  couste  ordinairement  plus  cher,  que  si 
84  on  I'eust  acheptee  k  beaux]  deniers  coutens.  A 
ce  propos  il  me  souuient  de  celuy  qui  disoit  au 
Roy  de  Portugal,  lors  qu'il  deliberoit  de  passer 
en  Afrique,  que  pour  vne  telle  expedition,  il  fal- 
loit  vn  monde  d'hommes,  vn  monde  d'argent  & 
de  viures.  C'estoit  bien  representer  en  peu  de 
mots  les  difficult ez  &  hazards  de  la  guerre.  Oc- 
tauian  Auguste,  le  plus  grand  Monarque  qui  fut 
iamais,  ne  conseilloit  point  d'entreprendre  vne 
guerre,  s'il  n'y  auoit  plus  de  profit  en  gaignant 
la  victoire,  que  de  dommage  en  la  perdant,  &  di- 
soit que  faire  autrement  c'estoit  pescher  auec  vn 
hamegon  d'or.  C'est  pourquoy  les  Scythes  man- 
derent  k  Cyrus  Roy  de  Perse,  qu'ils  s'estonnoient 
qu'vn  si  riche  Prince  les  attaquoit  de  gayete  de 
coeur,  sans  auoir  est6  aucunement  offense,  veu  qu'il 
hazardoit  en  ce  faisant  son  estat,  pour  auoir  vn  mes- 
chant  pays,  ou  il  n'y  auoit  rien  h  gaigner,  partant 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  138 

would  do  in  the  monarchy  of  the  Universe,  do 
it  in  that  which  is  in  your  hands.  You  see  how 
little  profit  you  get  through  arms,  and  if  you  gain 
some  town,  in  a  short  time  you  lose  it,  or  else  an- 
other that  was  worth  more:  and  after  having  de- 
feated your  enemies,  ravaged  their  lands,  neces- 
sity forces  you  to  listen  to  peace,  or  truce  owing 
to  want  of  supplies,  or  by  some  disease  that  dec- 
imates an  army,  and  causes  the  loss  of  the  re- 
sults of  a  laborious  conquest,  which  costs  gen- 
erally more,  than  if  one  had  bought  it  with  good 
current  coin.  In  connection  with  this  I  remember 
the  man  who  said  to  the  King  of  Portugal,  as  he 
deliberated  about  crossing  into  Africa,  that  for 
such  an  expedition,  there  was  need  of  a  world 
of  men,  a  world  of  money  and  of  supplies. 
This  was  putting  clearly  in  a  few  words  the 
difficulties  and  hazards  of  war.  Octavius  Au- 
gustus, the  greatest  monarch  that  ever  was,  did 
not  counsel  the  undertaking  of  a  war,  if  there  was 
not  more  profit  in  gaining  the  victory,  than  damage 
in  losing  it,  and  he  said  that  to  do  otherwise  was 
to  fish  with  a  gold  hook.  It  was  for  that  reason 
that  the  Scythians  sent  word  to  Cyrus,  King  of 
Persia,  that  they  were  astonished  that  so  rich  a 
Prince  attacked  them  with  a  light  heart,  without 
having  been  in  any  way  offended,  seeing  that  in  so 
doing  he  hazarded  his  state,  in  order  to  have  a  poor 
country,  where  there  was  nothing  to  gain,  therefore 


139  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

qu'ils  n'attendroient  point  sa  venue,  &  qu'ils 
iroient  volontiers  au  deuant,  puisqu'ils  voyoient 
I'esperance  d'vn  si  beau  butin:  h  quoy  ils  ne 
manquerent  pas.     Les  Suisses   faisoient   la  mesme 

85  remonstrance  au  der]nier  Due  de  Bourgongne. 
Si  d'auanture  vous  nous  surmontez,  luy  disoient 
ces  pauures  gens,  vous  n'en  amenderez  pas  beau- 
coup,  attendu  que  les  esperons  de  vos  gensdarmes 
&  les  mords  de  bride  de  leurs  cheuaux,  valent 
plus  que  toute  nostre  cheuance.  Cela  doibt  seruir 
d'aduertisement  h  tous  Princes,  principalement  aux 
plus  puissans,  de  ne  tenter  point  la  fortune  de  la 
guerre,  qui  peut  diminuer  plustost  leur  Empire, 
que  I'aggrandir.  Qu'ils  ne  desirent  done  point 
de  nouuelles  Seigneuries,  de  peur  qu'ils  ne  per- 
dent  les  presentes.  Ils  ont  acquis  vne  felicite: 
II  ne  reste  que  de  la  mesnager,  a  I'exemple  d'Au- 
guste,  lequel  ay  ant  pacific  les  troubles,  se  mit  h 
faire  de  bonnes  loix,  &  voyant  qu'il  estoit  asseure 
centre  I'estranger,  pourueut  atix  desordres  qui 
pouuoient  arriuer  au  dedans  de  son  Empire.  Car 
ce  n'est  pas  assez  d'empescher  le  mal  de  dehors: 
le  domes tique  est  plus  k  craindre.  Apres  done  que 
les  Princes  seront  tous  d'accord,  chacun  d'eux 
pouruoiera  aux  affaires  de  sa  Monarchic,  k  ce  que 

86  les  deportemens  de  ses  subiects  n'entajment  poinct 
le  corps  de  ceste  vnion,  que  nous  taschons  mo- 
yenner.  Ce  faisant,  non  seulement  il  obligera  le 
public,  en  trauaillant  de  sa  part  k  I'entretien 
de  la  paix    generale,    mais   aussi   il   asseurera  son 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  140 

that  they  would  not  await  his  coming,  and  that 
they  would  go  willingly  forward  to  meet  him,  since 
they  saw  the  hope  of  so  magnificent  a  booty:  in 
which  they  did  not  fail.  The  Swiss  made  the  same 
remonstrance  to  the  last  Duke  of  Burgundy.  If  by 
chance  you  overcome  us,  those  poor  people  told  him, 
you  will  not  gain  much,  since  the  spurs  of  your  men 
at  arms  and  the  bits  of  the  bridles  of  your  horses, 
are  worth  more  than  all  our  worldly  goods.  This 
should  serve  as  a  warning  to  all  Princes,  more  espe- 
cially to  the  most  powerful,  not  to  risk  the  fortune 
of  war,  which  can  rather  diminish  their  Empire 
than  aggrandize  it.  Let  them  desire  then  no  more 
new  lordships,  for  fear  they  lose  the  present  ones. 
They  have  acquired  some  happiness  :  It  remains 
only  to  cherish  it,  according  to  the  example  of 
Augustus,  who  having  pacified  the  troubles,  set  to 
work  to  make  good  laws,  and  seeing  that  he  was 
secured  against  the  foreigner,  provided  for  the  dis- 
orders that  might  arise  within  his  Empire.  For 
it  is  not  enough  to  prevent  the  danger  from  without : 
that  within  is  more  to  be  feared.  After  these  that 
all  the  Princes  shall  be  in  accord,  each  of  them 
will  care  for  the  affairs  of  his  monarchy,  to  the  end 
that  the  scandalous  behavior  of  his  subjects  shall 
not  endanger  the  body  of  this  union,  which  we  are 
trying  to  arrange.  By  so  doing  this,  not  only  will 
he  oblige  the  public,  in  working  on  his  part  for  the 
maintenance    of    general    peace,    but    also    he    will 


141  LE    NOVVEAV    CYn6e. 

est  at,  preuenant  par  vne  bonne  police  les  incon- 
ueniens  qu'apporte  le  desreiglement  des  moeurs  &  li- 
cence effrenee.  le  ferois  du  Philosophe,  si  ie  mettois 
en  auant  les  enseignemens  notables  sur  ce  subiect: 
mais  il  n'est  besoin  de  retracer  vn  discours  dont 
les  liures  sont  remplis.  Ie  toucheray  seulement 
sept  ou  huict  poincts,  qui  me  semblent  necessaires, 
pour  contenir  les  peuples  en  leur  debuoir,  &  leur 
oster  toute  occasion  de  tumulte:  a  sgauoir  vn  gou- 
uernement  modere,  punition  des  malefices, 
recompense  des  merites,  nourriture  des  pauures, 
reglement  de  procez,  prouision  publique  de  grains, 
recreation  licite,  &  la  Censure.  Vn  estat  se  porte 
bien,  quand  toutes  ces  choses  s'y  rencontrent: 
dont  la  premiere  import e  grandement,  tant  pour 
le  salut  du  peuple,  que  pour  celuy  du  Monarque. 
87  Car  il  ne  peut  estre  asseure  en]tre  ses  subiect s, 
s'il  ne  gaigne  leur  affection  par  vn  gouuernement 
regie  selon  les  loix  de  la  raison  naturelle,  k  laquelle 
tout  homme  sans  exception  doit  obeissance.  Et 
ceste  submission  ne  deroge  point  a  la  souuerainete, 
au  contraire  elle  affranchit  vn  homme  des  vices 
qui  luy  causent  vne  fascheuse  seruitude.  C'est 
regner,  que  de  commander  k  ses  cupiditez:  Chacun 
peut  gaigner  aisement  vne  telle  Monarchie,  mais 
les  Princes  en  doibuent  estre  d'autant  plus  soi- 
gneux,  qu'ils  ont  vne  puissance  absolue.  Theopompe 
Roy  Lacedemonien  n'auoit  pas  besoing  d'estab- 
lir    des    Ephores    pour    le    contreroler.     II    deuoit 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  142 

assure  his  state,  preventing  by  a  good  policy  the 
inconveniences  which  the  irregularity  of  morals 
and  unbridled  license  bring  about.  I  would  be  a 
Philosopher,  if  I  brought  forward  the  notable  teach- 
ings on  this  subject:  but  it  is  not  necessary  to 
repeat  a  discourse  with  which  books  are  filled. 
I  shall  touch  only  seven  or  eight  points,  which  seem 
to  me  necessary,  in  order  to  contain  the  peoples 
in  their  duty  and  take  away  from  them  all  cause 
for  tumult:  to  wit,  a  moderate  government,  pun- 
ishment of  wickedness,  reward  of  merit,  nourishment 
of  the  poor,  regulation  of  trials,  public  provision 
of  grain,  lawful  recreation,  and  the  censure.  A 
state  is  in  good  order,  when  all  these  things  are 
found  in  it:  of  which  the  first  is  of  great  import- 
ance, as  much  for  the  salvation  of  the  people,  as 
for  that  of  the  Monarch.  For  he  cannot  be  safe 
among  his  subjects,  if  he  does  not  gain  their  affec- 
tion by  a  government  regulated  according  to  the 
laws  of  natural  reason,  to  which  every  man  without 
exception  owes  obedience.  And  this  submission 
does  not  diminish  sovereignty,  on  the  contrary  it 
liberates  a  man  from  the  vices  which  keep  him  in 
unfortunate  subjection.  It  is  ruling,  to  control 
one's  desires:  each  one  can  gain  easily  such  a 
Monarchy,  but  the  Princes  must  be  the  more  care- 
ful of  it,  inasmuch  that  they  have  absolute  power. 
Theopompus,  a  Lacedemonian  King,  had  no  need 
to    establish    Ephores    to    control    him.     He    was 


143  LE    NOVVEAV   CYn6e. 

plustost  se  donner  la  loy,  que  de  la  regeuoir  de  ceux 
qui  pouuoient  faillir  autant  que  luy.  L'authorite 
Roy  ale  ne  depend  d'aucun  superieur:  Aussi  elle 
demande  vn  naturel  noble,  vertueux,  qui  conforme 
son  gouuernement  h  celuy  du  grand  Souuerain, 
&  ne  preste  point  I'oreille  k  ces  flatteurs,  qui  font 
k  croire  aux  Princes  que  tout  leur  est  premis,  & 
les  incitent  a  la  tyrannie,  comme  si  estre  Em- 
pereur  ou  Roy  n'estoit  autre  chose  que  piller,] 
88  massacre,  pillarder,  &  faire  mal  en  toute  asseurance 
k  la  fagon  des  voleurs.  Le  Monarque  legitime  ne 
se  comport e  pas  ainsi,  &  considere  que  le  plus 
grand  honneur  qui  luy  puisse  arriuer  c'est  s'abs- 
tenir  de  mal  faire  en  ay  ant  la  puissance,  &  qu'il 
ne  doibt  traicter  ses  subiects  comme  esclaues,  ou 
pour  le  moins  imiter  les  Parthes,  qui  cherissoient 
leurs  seruiteurs  comme  leurs  propre  enfans.  Ce 
qu'il  fera  en  espargnant  leur  vie,  leur  honneur, 
&  leur  bien.  On  cognoist  en  I'vsage  de  ces  trois 
choses  la  difference  entre  le  tyran  &  le  Prince  le- 
gitime. Cestuy-cy  laisse  iouir  ses  subiects  paisi- 
blement  de  leurs  possessions:  que  s'il  en  tire  du 
profit,  c'est  pour  subuenir  aux  necessitez  publiques, 
&  non  pas  pour  entretenir  ses  plaisirs.  II  n'attente 
point  sur  leur  vie,  il  ne  fait  point  bresche  k  leur 
honneur  en  la  personne  de  leurs  femmes.  Le 
Prince  tyrannique  se  ioue  de  tout  cela,  &  croit  que 
sa  felicity  gist  en  la  violence.     En  quoy  il  s' abuse. 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  144 

rather  to  give  the  law  to  himself,  than  to  receive  it 
from  those  who   could   err   as  much   as  he.     The 
royal   authority   does   not   depend   on   a   superior: 
therefore  it  demands  a  noble  nature,  virtuous,  who 
conforms    his    government    to    that    of    the    great 
sovereign,  and  does  not  lend  an  ear  to  those  flat- 
terers, who  make   Princes  believe  that  everything 
is  permissible  for  them,  and  incite  them  to  tyranny, 
as  if  to  be  an  Emperor  or  King  was  nothing  else 
than  to  pillage,  massacre,  plunder,  and  do  wrong 
in  perfect  security  in  the  manner  of  robbers.     The 
legitimate   monarch    does    not    bear   himself   thus, 
and   considers   that   the   greatest   honor   that   can 
come  to  him  is  to  abstain  from  doing  evil  while 
having  the  power  to  do  it,  and  that  he  must  not 
treat  his  subjects  as  slaves,   but  at  least  imitate 
the    Parthians,    who    cherished    their    servants    as 
their   own   children.     This   he   will   do   in   sparing 
their   life,    their  honor,    and   their   property.     One 
recognizes  in  the  usage  of  these  three  things  the 
difference  between  the  tyrant  and  the  legitimate 
Prince.     This  latter  allows  his   subjects   to  enjoy 
peacefully    their    possessions:     if    he    draws    profit 
from  them,  it  is  to  provide  for  public  necessities, 
and  not  to  maintain  his  pleasures.     He  does  not 
attack  their  life,  he  does  not  make  a  breach  on 
their   honor   in   the   person   of   their   wives.     The 
tyrannical  Prince  plays  with  all  that,  and  believes 
that   his   felicity   lies   in   violence.     In   which   he 


145  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Car  vn  Empire  violent  ressemble  aux  torrens  rapides 
qui  ne  font  que  passer,  &  celuy  qui  est  moder^, 

89  k  ces  petit es  pluyes  qui]  arrousens  doucement  la 
terre,  &  durent  longuement.  Aussi  vn  bon  Prince 
gaignant  le  coeur  de  ses  subiects  n'a  que  faire  de 
craindre  de  leur  part.  Le  tyran  est  plein  de  def- 
fiance,  voyant  qu'il  est  hay  iustement  des  siens, 
qui  cherchent  occasion  de  s'en  defifaire.  Et  c'est 
ce  qui  a  mine  en  partie  les  Roys  &  Potentats  des 
terres  neufues,  d'autant  qu'ils  tourmentoient  leurs 
subiects  de  couruees  intolerables,  &  les  gouuer- 
noient  comme  bestes,  occasion  pourquoy  ces  pauures 
malheureux  ne  firent  pas  beaucoup  de  resistance 
aux  Hespagnols,  qui  leur  donnoient  esperence  de 
meilleur  traictement.  Que  le  Prince  se  serue  de 
ses  subiects  auec  le  plus  de  moderation  qu'il  pourra, 
qu'il  ne  tourmente  point  leurs  corps,  dont-il  a  af- 
faire, qu'il  n'exige  point  des  tributs  insupportables, 
attendu  qu'il  ne  peut  auoir  profit  n'y  honneur  en 
la  pauurete  de  son  peuple:  qu'il  chasse  de  sa  cour 
les  flatteurs  &  inuenteurs  de  subsides,  qui  cor- 
rompent  la  bonte  naturelle  des  Monarques,  &  les 
mettent  en  mauuais  mesnage   auec  leurs   subiects. 

90  C'est  par  ces  gens-la  qu'il  faut  commencer  la]  puni- 
tion  des  malefices  qui  est  le  second  expedient  pour 
maintenir  la  paix.  La  douceur  est  bien  requise  en 
celuy  qui  commande,  mais  en  icelle  comme  en  toute 
autre  chose  il  faut  garder  mediocrite:  autrement 
elle  est  preiudiciable.     Et  afin  de  ne  point  abuser 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  146 

abuses  himself.  For  a  violent  Empire  resembles 
the  rapid  torrents  that  only  pass  by,  and  the  one 
that  is  moderate,  those  gentle  rains  which  quietly 
refresh  the  earth,  and  last  a  long  time.  Also  a 
good  Prince  winning  the  heart  of  his  subjects  has 
nothing  to  fear  from  them.  The  tyrant  is  filled 
with  distrust,  seeing  that  he  is  justly  hated  by 
his  people,  who  seek  an  occasion  to  get  rid  of  him. 
And  this  it  is  which  ruined  in  part  the  Kings  and 
Potentates  of  the  new  lands,  in  as  much  as  they 
tormented  their  subjects  with  intolerable  services, 
and  governed  them  like  beasts,  for  this  reason 
those  poor  unfortunates  did  not  make  any  great 
resistance  to  the  Spaniards,  who  gave  them  hopes 
of  better  treatment.  Let  the  Prince  make  use  of 
his  subjects  with  the  greatest  moderation  that  he 
can,  let  him  not  torment  their  bodies,  which  he 
needs,  let  him  not  exact  insupportable  taxes, 
since  he  can  have  neither  profit  nor  honor  in  the 
poverty  of  his  people:  let  him  chase  from  his  court 
the  flatterers  and  inventors  of  subsidies,  who  cor- 
rupt the  natural  goodness  of  monarchs,  and  place 
them  in  bad  relations  with  their  subjects.  It  is 
with  those  people  that  a  beginning  must  be  made 
to  punish  the  evils  which  is  the  second  expedient 
to  maintain  peace.  Gentleness  is  well  needed  in 
him  who  commands,  but  in  this  as  in  every  other 
thing  it  is  necessary  to  keep  an  average:  otherwise 
it  is  injurious.     And  in  order  not  to  abuse  words, 


147  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

des  paroles,  ce  n'est  pas  douceur   que  pardonner 

aux    meschans:     c'est    cruaut6,    pource    que    I'im- 

punite  les  rend  audacieux,  &  fomente  leur  malice. 

Archidamidas  voyant  qu'on  louoit  Charilaus   Roy 

de    Sparte    a    cause    de    sa    clemence,    Comment 

seroit-il   bon   Prince,    dit-il,    veu   qu'il   n'est   point 

ennemy  des  meschans?     II  auoit  raison.     Car  vn 

homme  de  bien  naturellement  abhorre  le  vice:   Ce 

qui  est  notamment  loiiable  en  vn  Monarque,  comme 

en  Alexandre  Seuere,  qui  hayssoit  tant  les  larrons, 

qu'il  ne  les  pouuoit  seulement  regarder  sans  nausee. 

Et   r    Empereur   d' Orient   Andronique,    bien   qu'il 

fut  d'ailleurs  reprehensible,  auoit  neantmoins  ceste 

vertu  de  punir  regoureusement  les  crimes,  &  con- 

tenoit  tout  le  monde  en  son  deuoir,  specialement  les 

gouuerneurs    &    officiers    qui    estoient    contraincts 

de  marcher  droict,   si  bien  que  le  peuple  ne  fut] 

91     iamais  si  content.     Mais  le  faict  de  lustin  second 

est  notable,  lequel  voyant  les  outrages  que  le  peuple 

enduroit   des   grands,    se   resolut   d'y   remedier:     a 

ceste  fin  crea  vn  grand  Preuost,   auquel  il  donna 

la  Souueraine  authorite  de  iustice.     Cestuy-cy   ne 

fut  pas  si  tost  entre  en  I'exercice  de  sa  charge,  qu'il 

fut  aduerti  de  I'iniure  qu' auoit  faict  vn  Seigneur 

qualifie  h  vn  pauure  homme.     II  luy  enuoya  faire 

commandement    de    conparoistre   par    deuant    luy, 

&  d'autant  qu'il  n'en  tenoir  compte,  I'alla  querir 

iusques  dans  le  Palais :  &  encore  qu'il  fust  k  la  table 

de  r  Empereur,    neantmoins   a   la  veue   d'iceluy   il 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  148 

it  is  not  kindness  to  forgive  the  wicked :  it  is  cruelty, 
for  impunity  renders  them  audacious,  and  foments 
their  malice.  Archidamedes  seeing  that  Charilaiis, 
King  of  Sparta,  was  praised  because  of  his  clemency. 
How  can  he  be  a  good  Prince,  he  said,  since  he 
is  not  an  enemy  of  the  wicked?  He  was  right. 
For  a  good  man  naturally  abhors  vice:  which  is 
notably  praiseworthy  in  a  monarch,  like  Alexander 
Severus,  who  hated  thieves  so  much,  that  he 
could  not  even  look  at  them  without  feeling  sick. 
And  the  Emperor  of  the  Orient,  Andronicus, 
although  he  was  in  many  ways  reprehensible, 
had  nevertheless  the  virtue  of  rigorously  pun- 
ishing crimes,  and  held  every  one  to  his  duty, 
especially  the  governors  and  officers  who  were 
constrained  to  march  in  the  straight  path,  so 
much  so  that  the  people  never  was  so  content. 
But  the  act  of  Justinian  the  Second  is  notable, 
who  seeing  the  outrages  that  the  people  endured 
from  the  great,  resolved  to  remedy  them:  to 
this  end  he  created  a  great  Provost,  to  whom  he 
gave  the  sovereign  authority  of  justice.  This  one 
was  no  sooner  installed  in  the  exercise  of  his  charge, 
than  he  was  informed  of  the  injury  that  a  lord  of 
quality  had  done  to  a  poor  man.  He  sent  him  com- 
mand to  appear  before  him,  and  in  as  much  as  he 
paid  no  heed  to  it,  went  to  seek  him  even  in  the 
palace:  and  even  though  he  was  sitting  at  the  table 
of  the   Emperor,   nevertheless  before  his  eyes  he 


149  LE    NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

emmena  le  criminel,  &  luy  fit  son  procez,  sans  em- 
peschement  ou  opposition  quelconque.  O  si  cela 
estoit  pratique,  qu'vn  Estat  seroit  heureux!  qu'vn 
Prince  seroit  aime  des  siens,  &  honor e  des  estr angers ! 
Ce  n'est  rien  que  d'auoir  vn  Royaume:  si  la  iustice 
n'y  est  gardee,  si  les  principaux  officiers  ne  sont 
rangez  h  leur  deuoir,  il  perd  son  non,  &  deuient 
vn  brigandage.  Ne  sgauons  nous  pas  que  I'Em- 
pereur  Romain  a  perdu  presque  toute  sa  Monarchie 
par  la  faute  de  ses  Lieut enans,  qui  tyrannisoient 
92  ses  subiects?]  S'il  les  eust  chastie,  sur  les  iustes 
plaintes  qu'on  faisoit  d'eux,  son  Empire  ne  seroit  re- 
duict  au  petit  pied  comme  il  est  k  present.  Qu'est-il 
besoin  de  nommer  les  autres,  qui  ont  perdu  les  plus 
beaux  fleurons  de  leur  couronne  par  1' insolence 
de  leurs  officiers?  Vn  Prince  doibt  auoir  I'oeil  sur 
les  deportemens  de  tous  ses  subiects,  mais  par- 
ticulierement  il  est  responsable  de  ceux  k  qui  il 
donne  les  grandes  charges.  Toutes  leurs  actions, 
bonnes  ou  mauuaises,  luy  sont  imputees.  Ceux-cy 
estans  reglez  il  est  aise  de  venir  k  bout  du  reste, 
&  n'y  a  si  meschant  ny  desesper6,  qui  ne  tremble, 
quand  il  voit  punir  vn  magistrat,  vn  Capitaine, 
ou  autres  personnes  de  qualite.  C'est  le  plus  bel 
oeuure  d'vn  Monarque  de  prendre  en  sa  protection 
le  menu  peuple,  &  le  garantir  de  1' oppression  des 
grands,  qui  abusent  de  leur  force,  &  ne  I'employ- 
ent   qu'k    violent er    les    plus    foibles.     Quant    aux 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  150 

carried  off  the  criminal,  and  brought  him  to  trial, 
without  hindrance  or  opposition  whatsoever.  O 
if  that  was  practiced,  how  happy  a  State  would  be! 
how  a  Prince  would  be  beloved  by  his  people,  and 
honored  by  foreigners!  It  is  not  a  small  thing  to 
have  a  kingdom :  if  justice  is  not  maintained  therein, 
if  the  principal  officers  are  not  faithful  to  their 
duty,  it  loses  its  name,  and  becomes  an  anarchy. 
Do  we  not  know  that  the  Roman  Emperor  lost 
almost  all  his  monarchy  through  the  faults  of  his 
lieutenants,  who  tyrannized  his  subjects?  If  he 
had  punished  them,  on  the  just  complaints  that 
were  made  about  them,  his  Empire  would  not  be 
reduced  to  the  small  scale  on  which  it  is  at  present. 
Is  it  necessary  to  name  the  others,  which  have  lost 
the  most  beautiful  flowers  of  their  crown  by  the 
insolence  of  their  officers?  A  Prince  must  have  an 
eye  to  the  misconduct  of  all  his  subjects,  but  es- 
pecially is  he  responsible  for  those  to  whom  he  en- 
trusts the  great  posts.  All  their  actions,  good  or 
bad,  are  attributed  to  him.  These  being  regulated 
it  is  easy  to  control  the  rest,  and  there  is  no  one  so 
bad  nor  desperate,  who  does  not  tremble,  when  he 
sees  punished  a  magistrate,  a  captain,  or  other 
persons  of  quality.  It  is  the  most  beautiful  work 
of  a  monarch  to  take  under  his  protection  the  lower 
classes,  and  protect  them  from  the  oppression  of 
the  great,  who  abuse  their  power,  and  employ  it 
only  to  do  violence  to  the  more  feeble.     As  for  the 


151  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

autres  petit s  voleurs  &  meurtriers,  il  les  faut  aussi 
punir  sans  remission.  Et  d'autant  qu'ils  ont  accous- 
tume  apres  auoir  faict  leur  coup,  de  quitter  le  pays, 

93  il  faudroit  leur  iouer  vn  pareil  tour,  que]  fit  Mahomet 
second  au  massacreur  de  lulian  de  Medicis,  qui 
s'estoit  retire  k  Constantinople.  Le  grand  Seigneur 
le  renuoya  lie  &  garotte  a  Florence.  Par  ce  moyen 
les  meschans  seroient  bien  estonnez,  voyans  que 
tout  le  monde  leur  fermeroit  la  porte.  &  qu'ils 
n'aiiroient  aucun  asyle.  le  sgay  qu'il  ne  faut  pas 
chasser  les  estrangers,  &  que  c'est  I'honneur  d'vn 
Monarque  de  regeuoir  amiablement  ceux  qui  im- 
plorent  sa  misericorde,  &  se  met  tent  soubs  sa  pro- 
tection: mais  cela  se  doibt  entendre  des  marchands, 
ou  de  ceux  qui  sont  affligez  &  poursuiuis  a  tort, 
non  pas  des  traistres,  seditieux  &  assasins,  qui  trou- 
blent  le  repos  public,  &  tiennent  le  premier  rang 
entre  les  meschans.  Telles  pestes  sont  indignes  de 
compassion.  Et  qui  voudroit  auoir  de  tels  hostes? 
Comment  vn  Roy  seroit-il  asseure  s'il  regeuoit  ceux 
qui  auroient  fait  banqueroute  a  leur  patrie?  I'en- 
tends  les  seditieux,  en  la  punition  desquels  tous  les 
Monarques  ont  interest,  tant  s'en  faut  qu'ils  leur 
doibuent  donner  aucun  lieu  de  refuge.     Autrement 

94  ils  attirent  vn  malheur  sur  leur  estat,  &]  donnent  oc- 
casion k  leurs  propres  subiects  de  tramer  hardiment 
quelque  nouueaute.    Certainement  il  n'y  a  crime  plus 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  152 

other  little  robbers  and  murderers,  they  must  also 
be  punished  without  let  up.  And  since  they  are 
accustomed  after  having  made  their  stroke  to  leave 
the  country,  a  similar  trick  should  be  played  them, 
like  the  one  Mohammet  the  Second  played  to  the 
assassin  of  Julian  de  Medici,  who  had  retired  to 
Constantinople.  The  Great  Lord  sent  him  bound 
and  tied  up  to  Florence.  By  this  means  the  bad 
would  be  much  astonished,  seeing  that  all  the 
world  would  close  their  door  to  them,  and  that 
they  would  have  no  asylum.  I  know  that  for- 
eigners should  not  be  chased  away,  and  that  it  is 
to  the  honor  of  a  monarch  to  receive  amiably 
those  who  implore  his  mercy,  and  place  themselves 
under  his  protection:  but  that  must  be  understood 
of  merchants,  or  of  those  who  are  in  trouble  and 
wrongly  pursued,  not  of  traitors,  fomentors  of 
sedition  and  assassins,  who  disturb  public  peace, 
and  hold  the  first  rank  among  the  wicked.  Such 
pests  are  unworthy  of  compassion.  And  who  would 
wish  to  have  such  guests?  How  would  a  King 
be  assured  if  he  received  those  who  had  gone  bank- 
rupt in  their  own  country?  I  mean  the  promoters 
of  sedition,  in  whose  punishment  all  monarchs  have 
an  interest,  so  much  so  that  they  should  not  give 
them  any  place  of  refuge.  Otherwise  they  attract 
misfortune  upon  their  state,  and  give  occasion  to 
their  own  subjects  to  plan  boldly  some  novelty. 
Certainly  there  is  no  crime  more  punishable  than 


153  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

punissable  que  la  sedition,  ny  qui  aye  besoin  de 
plus  de  precautions,  pour  autant  qu'elle  est  fort 
diuerse  &  a  plusieurs  visages.  Tantost  elle  mon- 
stre  vne  face  riante,  qui  promet  vne  douce  liber te, 
tantost  elle  se  pare  d'vn  habit  Religieux,  ou  d'vn 
masque  de  iustice.  Aucunefois  elle  n'a  qu'vne 
teste,  &  ailleurs  (chose  monstinieuse)  vous  luy  en 
voyez  cent  mille.  Faut  esclarcir  les  particularitez 
de  ce  mal,  afin  de  luy  appliquer  plus  aisement  les 
remedes.  II  est  certain  que  toutes  seditions  se 
forment  ou  par  I'entreprise  ambit ieuse  de  quelque 
chef  &  conducteur  remuant,  ou  par  vne  esmotion 
generale  du  peuple.  Vn  particulier  seditieux  des- 
couure  son  ambition  directement,  ou  obliquement. 
Directement,  lors  que  de  viue  force  il  veut  empieter 
I'Estat,  a  quoy  plusieurs  occasions  luy  peuuent 
frayer  chemin,  notamment  I'imbecillite  de  celuy 
qui  commande.  C'est  ce  qui  a  perdu  Childeric  le 
dernier  des  Merouingiens,  qui  fut  confine  en  vn 
95  cloistre  par]  Pepin,  du  consentement  des  Francois, 
k  cause  de  sa  nonchalance.  Pour  vn  mesme  subiect 
Charles  le  simple  a  este  degrade,  &  sa  posterite  n'a 
pas  este  plus  heureuse.  Le  remede  de  ce  mal  de- 
pend du  Prince  qui  en  est  la  cause.  Qu'il  se  face 
aimer  par  sa  bonte,  respecter  par  sa  vertu,  il  se 
garantira  de  toutes  entreprises.  Mais  s'il  se  laisse 
emporter  aux  violentes  passion  de  cupidite  &  de 
cholere,  il  court  fortune,  &  encore  plus  s'il  se 
rend  contemptible  par  vne  vie  oisiue  &  effeminee. 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  154 

sedition,  nor  against  which  there  is  need  of  more 
precautions,  since  it  is  very  diverse  and  has  many- 
sides.  Sometimes  it  shows  a  smiHng  face,  which 
promises  a  sweet  liberty,  sometimes  it  puts  on  a 
religious  garb,  or  a  mask  of  justice.  Sometimes  it 
has  but  one  head,  and  elsewhere  (a  monstrous 
thing)  you  see  it  with  a  hundred  thousand.  It  is 
necessary  to  clear  up  the  particular  phases  of  this 
evil  in  order  to  apply  to  it  more  easily  the  remedies. 
It  is  certain  that  all  sedition  is  fomented  either  by 
the  enterprising  ambition  of  some  chief  or  restless 
leader,  or  by  a  general  movement  of  the  people. 
An  individual  agitator  shows  his  ambition  directly, 
or  obliquely.  Directly,  when  by  main  force  he 
wishes  to  seize  the  State,  to  do  which  many  oppor- 
tunities may  open  the  way  to  him,  notably  the 
foolishness  of  he  who  commands.  It  was  that  which 
destroyed  Childeric,  the  last  of  the  Merovingians, 
who  was  confined  in  a  cloister  by  Pepin,  with  the 
consent  of  the  French,  because  of  his  listlessness. 
For  a  similar  reason  Charles  the  Simple  was  de- 
graded and  his  posterity  was  not  more  fortunate. 
The  remedy  for  this  evil  depends  on  the  Prince  who 
is  its  cause.  Let  him  make  himself  loved  by  his 
goodness,  respected  by  his  virtue,  he  will  guarantee 
himself  against  all  attacks.  But  if  he  allows  him- 
self to  be  carried  away  by  the  violent  passions  of 
cupidity  and  anger,  he  tempts  fortune,  and  still 
more  if  he  makes  himself  contemptible  by  a  lazy 


155  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Alors  les  estrangers  luy  feront  la  loy,  ses  subiects 
s'emanciperont  de  son  obeissance,  principalement 
ceux  qui  auront  quelque  credit  &  authorite,  comme 
il  arriua  aussi  k  nos  Roys  sur  le  declin  de  la  race  de 
Charlemagne,  quand  la  France  fut  desmembree 
par  Tambition  des  gouuerneurs  qui  s'impatroniserent 
de  leurs  prouinces,  abusans  de  la  simplicite  de  leurs 
maistres.  Et  au  mesme  temps  quelques  Seigneurs 
d' Italic  se  cantonnerent,  &  s'approprierent  les  places 
ou  ils  auoient  commandement,  comme  les  Dues 
de  Beneuent,  de  Friul  &  de  Spolete:  ce  que  les 
96  autres  depuis  ont  fait  h  leur  exemple;]  au  grand 
mespris  &  dommage  des  Empereurs.  II  est  vray 
que  les  affaires  qu'ils  auoient  au  pays  de  leur  resi- 
dence, auec  la  disgrace  des  Papes,  les  empeschoient 
beaucoup  de  rembarer  ces  roitelets:  car  vn  peuple 
reuesche  &  libertin  est  mal  ais6  h  tenir  quand  il 
ne  voit  point  son  Prince  &  secoue  le  ioug  h  la  pre- 
miere commodite  qui  se  presente.  Les  Empereurs 
Grecs  I'ont  esprouue,  qui  ont  est^  contraincts 
d'abandonner  I'ltalie  &  permettre  h  vn  Goth  Theo- 
doric  de  s'en  declarer  Roy,  ne  pouuans  la  retenir 
pour  eux.  Les  Roys  de  France  &  d'Allemagne 
apres  la  chasse  des  Lombards,  n'y  ont  pas  mieux 
faicts  leurs  affaires,  &  ont  cogneu  que  le  som- 
met  des  Alpes  estoit  trop  haut  pour  faire  voler 
leur    authorite    pas    dessus:     Que    si   par    quelque 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  156 

and  effeminate  life.  Then  foreigners  will  rule  him, 
his  subjects  will  refuse  him,  emancipate  themselves 
from  obedience  to  him,  principally  those  who  have 
some  credit  and  authority,  as  happened  to  our 
Kings  at  the  decline  of  the  race  of  Charlemagne, 
when  France  was  dismembered  by  the  ambition  of 
the  governors  who  seized  hold  of  their  provinces, 
taking  advantage  of  the  simplicity  of  their  masters. 
And  at  the  same  time  a  few  Italian  lords  estab- 
lished themselves,  and  appropriated  to  themselves 
the  places  where  they  had  command,  as  the  Dukes 
of  Beneventum,  of  Friuli  and  of  Spoleto:  which 
the  others  have  since  done  following  their  example ; 
to  the  great  contempt  and  harm  of  the  Emperors. 
It  is  true  that  the  troubles  that  they  had  in  the 
country  where  they  lived,  together  with  their 
disgrace  by  the  Popes,  prevented  them  very  much 
from  repulsing  these  kinglets:  for  a  balky  and  lib- 
ertine people  is  not  easy  to  hold  in  hand  when  it 
does  not  see  its  Prince  and  throws  off  the  yoke  at 
the  first  opportunity  that  presents  itself.  The 
Greek  Emperors  felt  it,  who  were  forced  to  abandon 
Italy  and  permit  a  Goth  Theodoric  to  proclaim 
himself  its  King,  not  being  able  to  retain  it  for 
themselves.  The  Kings  of  France  and  Germany, 
after  the  driving  out  of  the  Lombards,  did  not 
manage  any  better  their  affairs  there,  and  discov- 
ered that  the  simimit  of  the  Alps  was  too  high  to 
make  their  authority  fly  over  it:    That  if  by  some 


157  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

vent  de  fortune  elle  a  est^  poussee  iusques  Ik,  elle  n'y 
a  pas  demeur6  long  temps.  Pour  confirmer  ce  pro- 
pos  de  I'Historien,  Qu'il  est  plus  malaise  de  garder  vne 
prouince  que  de  la  subiuguer:  attendu  que  la  con- 
queste  ne  gist  qu'en  la  force.     Mais  la  conseruation 

97  depend  encore  de  la  prudence  des  victorieux]  d'vne 
f elicit e  continuelle,  &  de  la  bonne  affection  des 
subiects,  qui  sont  trois  chose  bien  rares:  prin- 
cipalement  ceste  derniere,  en  laquelle  il  n'y  a  pas 
beaucoup  d'asseurance,  si  la  personne  du  Prince 
est  esloignee  de  son  peuple,  comme  il  aduient 
necessairement  en  vne  grande  Monarchic,  dont 
les  pieces  ne  sont  pas  iointes  ensemble.  Car  il 
est  mal-ayse  d'aymer  ou  respecter  vne  chose  qu'on 
ne  voit  point.  Ce  qui  occasionna  les  Hespagnols 
d'offrir  leur  Royaume  au  Due  de  Calabre,  voyans 
que  Charles  cinquiesme  leur  legitime  seigneur  estoit 
dispose  k  cause  de  sa  dignite  Imperiale  de  resider 
en  Allemagne.  Et  n'y  a  rien  k  mon  aduis  qui  aye 
plus  enhardy  les  Flamans  &  Hollandois  de  se  mu- 
tiner  contre  Philippe  second  Roy  d'Hespagne,  que 
la  crainte  d'estre  exposez  k  I'aurice  &  cruaute  de 
ses  Lieut enans.  lis  consideroient  que  telles  gens 
ont  accoustume  de  se  licentier,  quand  ils  se  voyent 
esloignez  de  leur  maistre,  auquel  ils  font  souuentes- 
fois  passer  la  plume  par  le  bee.  Occasion  pourquoy 
le  Roy  d'Hespagne  n'a  point  de  Viceroy  aux  Indes 

98  qui  y]  demeure  plus  de  trois  ans,  s^achant  bien  que 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  158 

fortunate  wind  it  was  pushed  as  far  as  that,  it  did 
not  remain  there  long.  To  confirm  this  statement 
of  the  historian,  that  it  is  more  difficult  to  keep  a 
province  than  to  subjugate  it:  because  conquest 
rests  only  upon  force.  But  the  conservation  de- 
pends in  addition  upon  the  prudence  of  the  victors, 
upon  a  continuous  happiness,  and  upon  the  good 
will  of  the  subjects,  which  are  three  very  rare 
things:  principally  this  last,  in  which  there  is  not 
much  assurance,  if  the  person  of  the  Prince  is 
distant  from  his  people,  as  happens  necessa- 
rily in  a  great  monarchy,  whose  parts  are  not 
joined  together.  For  it  is  difficult  to  love  or  re- 
spect a  thing  that  one  does  not  see.  This  is  what 
caused  the  Spaniards  to  offer  their  Kingdom  to 
the  Duke  of  Calabria,  seeing  that  Charles  the  Fifth 
their  legitimate  lord,  was  disposed,  on  account  of 
his  Imperial  dignity,  to  reside  in  Germany.  And 
there  is  nothing  in  my  opinion  that  more  encour- 
aged the  Flemings  and  Hollanders  to  revolt  against 
Philippe  the  Second,  King  of  Spain,  than  the  fear 
of  being  exposed  to  the  avarice  and  cruelty  of  his 
Lieutenants.  They  considered  that  such  people 
have  a  way  of  giving  free  license  to  their  actions, 
when  they  find  themselves  far  distant  from  their 
master,  whom  they  often  fool  to  the  top  of  his 
bent.  For  this  reason  the  King  of  Spain  has  no 
Viceroy  in  the  Indies  who  remains  there  more  than 
three  years,  knowing  well  that  the  man  who  has 


159  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

rhomme  affriande  h  la  domination,  se  laisse  facile - 
ment  emporter  k  I'ent reprise  d'vne  vsurpation  & 
defection  manifeste.  Dont  il  ne  faut  pas  s'es- 
tonner,  puis  que  I'ambition  arme  le  fils  contre  le 
pere.  Henry  Roy  d'Angleterre  fut  attaque  par 
ses  enfans  a  la  suscitation  de  sa  femme  Eleonor. 
Loys  onziesme  donna  bien  des  affaires  h  Charles 
septiesme.  Loys  premier  fut  encore  plus  mal 
traitte  par  ses  enfans,  qui  le  depossederent  &  mirent 
en  vn  Monastere.  Henry  cinquiesme  osta  1' Empire 
k  son  pere :  Andronique  le  ieune  h  son  ayeul.  Adolf 
emprisonna  son  pere  Arnaul  Due  de  Gueldres: 
&  comme  le  Due  de  Bourgongne  taschoit  de  les  ac- 
corder  moyennant  six  mille  florins  de  pension  & 
le  tiltre  de  Due  qui  demeureroit  au  bon  homme 
durant  sa  vie,  le  reste  est  ant  en  la  libre  disposi- 
tion d'Adolf,  i'aymerois  mieux,  dit  ce  fils  desna- 
ture,  auoir  iette  mon  pere  en  vn  putts,  &  mestre 
iette  apres,  qu' auoir  faict  cest  appomtement.  II  y 
a  quarante  trois  ans  quHl  est  Due:  il  est  bien  temps 
99  que  ie  le  sois.  Volontiers  luy  lair]ray-ie  trois  mille 
florins  par  an,  a  conditions  qu'il  nentre  iamais 
dans  la  Duche.  L' ambition  est  aueugle,  elle  n'a 
aucun  respect  d'amitie  ny  de  parente.  Le  Preste- 
lan  preuoyant  cela,  tient  enfermez  dans  vn  chas- 
teau  tous  les  Princes  de  sa  race,  de  peur  qu'ils  n'at- 
tirent  par  leur  authorite  ses  subiects,  a  quelque 
rebellion.     Mais  telle   coustume  est  barbare,  &   en- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  160 

become  bitten  by  domination,  allows  himself  easily 
to  be  carried  into  the  undertaking  of  a  manifest 
usurpation  and  defection.  At  this  one  must  not  be 
astonished,  since  ambition  arms  the  son  against 
the  father.  Henry,  King  of  England,  was  attacked 
by  his  children  at  the  instigation  of  his  wife  Eleanor. 
Louis  the  Eleventh  gave  much  trouble  to  Charles 
the  Seventh.  Louis  the  First  was  treated  even 
worse  by  his  children,  who  deposed  him  and  placed 
him  in  a  monastery.  Henry  the  Fifth  took  away 
the  Empire  from  his  father:  Andronicus  the 
younger  from  his  grandfather.  Adolf  imprisoned 
his  father  Amaul  Duke  of  Gueldres:  and  while 
the  Duke  of  Burgundy  was  trying  to  reconcile  them 
by  suggesting  that  a  pension  of  six  thousand  florins 
and  the  title  of  Duke  should  remain  to  the  good 
old  man  during  his  life,  the  remainder  being  at  the 
free  disposal  of  Adolf,  "/  would  like  better,''  said 
this  unnatural  son,  ''have  thrown  my  father  into  a 
well,  and  have  jumped  in  after,  than  to  have  made 
this  arrangement.  He  has  been  Duke  for  forty-three 
years:  it  is  high  time  that  I  should  be.  Willingly 
would  I  leave  to  him  three  thousand  florins  a  year, 
on  condition  that  he  never  enters  the  Duchy. ' '  Ambi- 
tion is  blind,  it  has  no  respect  for  friendship  or 
relationship.  Prester  John  foreseeing  this,  holds 
confined  in  a  castle  all  the  Princes  of  his  race,  for 
fear  that  by  their  authority  they  lead  his  subjects 
into   some   rebellion.     But  such  a  custom  is  bar- 


161  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

core  plus  celle  des  Ottomans,  qui  font  mourir  leurs 
freres  afin  de  regner  plus  librement.  Vn  Monarque 
asseurera  bien  son  est  at  sans  toutes  ces  cruautez. 
En  qui  se  pourra-il  fier,  s'il  s' estrange  de  ses  en- 
fans?  Qui  luy  sera  amy  s'il  se  deffaict  de  ses  plus 
proches?  Ne  vaut-il  pas  mieux  gaigner  leur  af- 
fection, &  leur  donner  vn  appointement  conuenable 
k  leur  qualite,  suiuant  I'exemple  des  anciens  Em- 
pereurs  qui  faisoient  part  de  la  souueraine  puissance 
k  leurs  prochains  heritiers,  &  les  admettoient  pour 
compagnons  en  1' Empire,  afin  de  leur  oster  tout 
mescontentement  ?  Ce  seroit  chose  estrange  & 
100  monstrueuse  de  voir  vn  Prince]  attaque  par  son 
fils  ou  son  frere,  ausquels  il  feroit  tant  d'honneur 
&  si  bon  traictement.  le  sgay  bien  qu'on  accuse 
Loys  le  debonnaire  d'imprudence  d'auoir  trop  ad- 
uance  ses  enfans:  mais  son  malheur  ne  vint  pas 
de  Ik.  Le  peu  de  capacite  qu'il  auoit  aux  affaires 
du  monde,  la  cruaute  dont  il  vsa  a  I'endroit  de  son 
nepueu  Bernard  Roy  d'ltalie,  &  autres  Seigneurs 
qui  I'auoiner  assiste,  I'affection  qu'il  portoit  k  son 
fils  dernier,  au  mespris  de  ceux  du  premier  lict, 
auec  r  arrogance  de  sa  seconde  femme  qui  disposoit 
k  son  plaisir  de  luy  &  du  Royaume,  furent  les 
principaux  motifs  de  la  rebellion.  En  somme, 
k  vn  tel  exemple  i'en  puis  opposer  dix  totale- 
ment  contraires,    qui    monstrent   que  le  bon   sang 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  162 

barous,  and  still  more  that  of  the  Ottomans,  who 
put  to  death  their  brothers  so  that  they  may  reign 
more  freely.  A  monarch  can  assure  well  his  state 
without  all  these  cruelties.  In  whom  could  he  trust, 
if  he  estranges  himself  from  his  children?  Who 
will  be  his  friend  if  he  gets  rid  of  his  closest  relatives  ? 
Is  it  not  better  to  gain  their  affection,  and  give  them 
an  appointment  suitable  to  their  rank,  following 
the  example  of  the  ancient  Emperors  who  gave  a 
part  of  the  sovereign  power  to  their  next  heirs, 
and  admitted  them  as  companions  in  the  Empire, 
in  order  to  take  away  from  them  all  cause  of  dis- 
content? It  would  be  a  strange  and  monstrous 
thing  to  see  a  Prince  attacked  by  his  son  or  his 
brother,  to  whom  he  should  give  such  honor  and 
good  treatment.  I  know  well  that  Louis  the 
Debonnaire  is  accused  of  imprudence  in  having 
advanced  his  children  too  much:  but  his  mis- 
fortune did  not  come  from  that.  The  little  capa- 
city that  he  had  for  the  affairs  of  the  world,  the 
cruelty  that  he  showed  in  the  case  of  his  nephew, 
Bernard,  King  of  Italy,  and  other  lords  who  had 
assisted  him,  the  affection  that  he  gave  to  his  young- 
est son,  to  the  detriment  of  those  of  the  first  mar- 
riage, together  with  the  arrogance  of  his  second 
wife,  who  disposed  of  him  and  the  kingdom  accord- 
ing to  her  own  will,  were  the  principal  motives  of 
the  rebellion.  After  all,  to  such  an  example  I  can 
oppose  ten  totally  contrary,  which  show  that  good 


163  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

ne  pent  mentir,  &  qu'il  est  moins  dangereux  h  vn 
Roy  d'entretenir  vn  Prince  de  sa  race,  que  d'esleuer 
les  estr angers.  Car  ceux-cy  ayans  moins  d' obli- 
gation naturelle  au  Souuerain,  luy  portent  aussi 
moindre  affection,  si  bien  que  le  desir  de  regner 
les  pousse  plus  facilement  h  entreprendre  contre 
I'estat,  quand  ils  ont  la  force  en  main,  &  quelque 
101  beau  pretexte.]  C'est  I'ordinaire  des  ambitieux 
de  pallier  leurs  desseings  d'vne  apparence  de  zele 
&  charite,  d'auoir  le  bien  public  &  reformation 
de  I'estat  en  la  bouche,  mais  I'experience  a  tousiours 
monstre  qu'ils  n'auoient  rien  moins  dans  le  coeur, 
Et  comment  seroit-il  possible  que  les  grands  voulus- 
sent  procurer  le  soulagement  du  peuple  puis  qu'ils 
le  foulent  aux  pieds,  &  ne  font  non  plus  scrupule 
de  battre  ou  tourmenter  vnvillageois  &  habitant 
de  ville,  que  si  c'estoit  vn  chien,  ou  quelque  beste 
de  voiture?  Et  pour  rendre  telle  iniustice  plus 
legere,  toument  en  derision  ces  noms  de  Bour- 
geois, contadin  &  manant,  lesquels  ils  ont  en  tel 
mespris,  qu'ils  rebutent  leur  conuersation,  se  scan- 
dalisent  de  leur  rencontre,  &  se  desguisent  en 
toutes  fa§ons,  afin  de  ne  point  ressembler  k  ceux 
qu'ils  appellent  vilains.  Ils  voudroient  n'auoir  rien 
de  commun  auec  eux.  lis  sont  faschez  de  respirer 
vn  mesme  air,  d'auoir  vne  mesme  figure.  lis  for- 
meroient  volontiers  complainte  de  ce  que  Dieu  a 
donne  esgallement  k  tous  vn  mesme  Ciel  pour  aspect, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  164 

blood  cannot  lie,  and  that  it  is  less  dangerous  for 
a  King  to  maintain  a  Prince  of  his  race,  than  to 
bring  up  strangers.  For  these  latter  having  less 
natural  ties  to  the  Sovereign,  also  feel  for  him  less 
affection,  so  that  the  desire  to  reign  pushes  them 
more  easily  to  undertakings  against  the  State, 
when  they  have  the  power  in  hand,  and  some 
plausible  pretext.  It  is  the  ordinary  practice  of 
ambitious  men  to  cloak  their  designs  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  zeal  and  charity,  to  have  the  public 
good  and  reformation  of  the  state  at  the  tip  of 
their  tongue,  but  experience  has  always  shown 
that  they  had  anything  but  that  in  their  heart. 
And  how  could  it  be  possible  that  the  great  should 
wish  to  procure  the  relief  of  the  people  since  they 
stamp  them  under  foot,  and  do  not  any  more  scru- 
ple to  beat  or  torment  a  villager  and  town-dweller, 
than  if  he  was  a  dog,  or  some  beast  of  burden? 
And  to  render  such  injustice  more  easy,  they  turn 
into  ridicule  those  names  of  burgher,  countryman 
and  peasants,  which  they  hold  in  such  disdain,  that 
they  repel  their  conversation,  are  scandalized  at 
meeting  them  and  disguise  themselves  in  every 
way,  so  as  not  to  resemble  in  any  way  those  whom 
they  call  serfs.  They  wish  to  have  nothing  in 
common  with  them.  They  are  loath  to  breathe 
the  same  air,  to  have  a  similar  figure.  They  would 
willingly  make  complaint  that  God  has  given 
equally  to  all  the  same  heaven  to  look  at,  the  same 


165  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

102  vne  mesme  terre  pour  fondement.]  Vn  peuple 
seroit  bien  sot,  de  seconder  1' ambition  de  telles 
gens.  Aussi  les  villes  ne  les  veulent  point  re- 
ceuoir,  les  paysans  fuyent  deuant  enx,  il  n'y  a 
que  les  mal-contens  qui  les  suiuent.  Ceux  qui 
ont  acquis  reputation  de  piete  ont  beaucoup 
plus  de  credit  enuers  le  peuple  pour  I'induire  k 
quelque  nouueute.  Tesmoing  I'Hermite  Schacocu- 
lis,  qui  apres  auoir  bien  ioue  son  personnage  I'espace 
de  7.  ans  en  vn  desert,  oii  il  estoit  visit e  comme 
vn  sainct  homme,  mesmement  par  TEmpereur 
Baiazeth,  qui  luy  enuoyoit  des  presens,  finalement 
leua  le  masque,  &  se  declarant  autheur  d'vne 
nouuelle  secte,  amassa  tant  de  partisans,  qu'kl'ayde 
d'iceux  il  s'empara  de  plusieurs  villes,  defit  vn 
Bascha  &  le  fils  de  Baiazeth  &  eust  passe  bien  plus 
outre  s'il  n'eust  irrite  le  Sophi.  Quelque  temps 
apres  vn  certain  Calender  par  vne  deuotion  simulee 
esbranla  toute  la  Natolie,  &  tint  les  Turcs  en  ceru- 
elle,  iusques  k  ce  qu'il  fut  aterre  en  bataille  rangee. 
N'est-ce  pas  le  chemin  que  prit  Elmahel  Affriquain, 
pour  faire  la  guerre  k  son  maistre  le  Roy  de  Marroc, 
&  luy  rauir  le  sceptre  &  la  vie?    Le  respect  de  re- 

103  ligion]  a  vne  extreme  puissance  sur  nos  esprits: 
Depuis  qu'vn  homme  a  le  bruit  de  viure  sainctement, 
il  persuade  tout  ce  qu'il  veut  au  peuple,  sur  tout 
quand  il  est  doiie  d'vne  eloquence  &  grace  de  bien 
dire.    Arrius  &  Mahomet  se  sont  seruis  de  tels  instru- 


THE  -NEW   CYNEAS.  166 

earth  to  stand  on.  A  people  would  be  very  stupid, 
to  second  the  ambition  of  such  people.  Therefore 
the  cities  do  not  wish  to  receive  them,  the  peasants 
fly  before  them,  only  the  dissatisfied  follow  them. 
Those  who  have  acquired  a  reputation  for  piety 
have  much  more  credit  with  the  people  to  lead 
them  to  something  new.  Witness  the  hermit 
Schacoculis,  who  after  having  played  well  his  char- 
acter for  the  space  of  seven  years  in  a  desert,  where 
he  was  visited  as  a  holy  man,  even  by  the  Emperor 
Bayazeed,  who  sent  him  presents,  finally  raised 
the  mask,  and  declaring  himself  founder  of  a  new 
sect,  collected  so  many  partisans,  that  with  their 
help  he  seized  several  cities,  defeated  a  Pasha 
and  the  son  of  Bayazeed  and  would  have 
gone  much  further  if  he  had  not  irritated  the 
Sophi.  Some  time  afterwards  a  certain  Calendar 
by  a  simulated  devotion  shook  all  Anatolia,  and 
kept  the  Turks  on  the  alert,  until  he  was  killed 
in  pitched  battle.  Is  this  not  the  way  that  El- 
mahel  the  African  took,  to  wage  war  on  his  master 
the  King  of  Morocco,  and  take  from  him  his  scepter 
and  his  life?  The  respect  of  religion  has  an  ex- 
treme power  on  our  spirits:  From  the  moment 
a  man  has  the  reputation  of  living  like  a  saint, 
he  persuades  the  people  to  believe  everything 
that  he  wishes,  especially  when  he  is  endowed 
with  eloquence  and  the  power  of  oratory.  Arrius 
and  Mohammet  made  use  of  such  instruments,  to 


167  LE    NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

mens,  pour  fonder  leur  doctrine.  Et  de  plus 
fraische  memoir e,  Luther  &  Caluin,  quel  mesnage 
ont-ils  faict  par  leurs  langues  &  escrits,  sous  cou- 
leur  de  reformer  les  abus  de  la  Chrestiente?  II 
faut  preuenir  telles  gens,  &  leur  deffendre  de  dog- 
matiser  ny  en  public  ny  en  particulier,  sur  peine 
de  punition  rigoureuse.  Car  ils  attirent  le  peuple 
qui  se  laisse  aysement  emporter  k  I'apparence 
d'vne  piete,  aussi  bien  qu'a  I'espoir  d'vne  liberte 
ou  condition  meilleure.  Ce  sont  deux  esperons 
que  les  factieux  doiment  k  cet  animal  de  plusieurs 
testes,  pour  le  mettre  en  campagne,  luy  represent  ant 
la  douceur  de  I'egalite  Democratique,  &  les  violences 
de  la  Monarchic.  En  quoy  ils  n'ont  pas  grande 
difficulte,  attendu  que  les  peuples  ne  portent  pas 
volontiers  le  ioug  des  Princes,  principalement  des 
exacteurs  ou  tirans.  Et  de  vray  les  Princes  se 
104  rendent  aucunefois  odieux  &  insupportables.]  Mais 
souuent  la  faute  vient  des  subiects,  qui  les  irritent 
par  vne  superbe  mutinerie,  8c  veulent  reigler  vn 
pouuoir  qui  ne  regoit  point  de  limites.  Les  Sou- 
uerains  ne  douient  point  estre  contrerolez  en  leurs 
actions.  S'ils  font  mal,  c'est  k  celuy  qui  les  a  es- 
tablis  de  les  chastier,  non  pas  au  peuple  qui  leur 
doibt  toute  obeissance.  Puis  qu'ils  ne  releuent 
que  de  Dieu,  &  qu'ils  sont  ses  Lieutenans,  c'est 
temerite  aux  hommes  de  leur  faire  rende  compte: 
c'est  vn  sacrilege  de  murmurer  contre  eux,  d'atten- 
ter  k  leur  estat  ou  k  leurs  personnes.    Les  plus  sages 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  168 

found  their  doctrines.  And  of  more  recent  memory, 
Luther  and  Calvin,  what  a  mess  have  they  not 
made  with  their  tongues  and  writings,  under  pre- 
tense of  reforming  the  abuses  of  Christianity? 
Such  people  must  be  anticipated,  and  forbidden 
to  dogmatize  either  in  public  or  in  private,  under 
penalty  of  rigorous  punishment.  For  they  attract 
the  people  which  allows  itself  to  be  easily  led  off 
by  the  appearance  of  piety,  as  well  as  by  the  hope 
of  liberty  or  a  better  condition.  These  are  two 
spurs  that  the  factious  give  to  this  animal  of  many 
heads,  to  launch  him  on  the  rampage,  representing 
to  him  the  sweetness  of  Democratic  equality, 
and  the  violences  of  Monarchy.  In  which  they 
have  not  great  difficulty,  since  the  peoples  do 
not  bear  willingly  the  rule  of  Princes,  especially 
of  extortioners  or  tyrants.  And  in  truth  Princes 
sometimes  make  themselves  odious  and  insupport- 
able. But  often  the  fault  comes  from  the  sub- 
jects, who  irritate  them  by  a  fine  revolt,  and  wish 
to  regulate  a  power  that  knows  no  limits.  Sover- 
eigns must  not  be  controlled  in  their  actions.  If 
they  do  wrong,  it  is  for  him  who  has  established 
them  to  chastise  them,  not  the  people  who  owe 
them  all  obedience.  Since  they  are  amenable  only 
to  God,  and  are  his  Lieutenants,  it  is  presump- 
tuous for  men  to  make  them  render  an  ac- 
count: it  is  a  sacrilege  to  murmur  against  them, 
to  attack  their  state  or  their  person.     The  wisest 


169  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

sont  de  cest  aduis,  &  la  doctrine  chrestienne 
specialement  ^  nous  exhorte  de  reuerer  nos  Roys 
&  superieurs,  sans  aucune  distinction  pour  ce  regard 
des  bons  &  des  manuals.  De  cecy  nous  en  auons 
vn  notable  exemple  en  Dauid  qui  ne  voulut 
iamais  toucher  son  ennemy  Satil  Prince  furieux 
&  tyrannique,  qui  I'auoit  persecute  cruellement,  & 
en  hayne  de  luy,  auoit  tue  Achimelech,  &  tous 
les  sacrificateurs  de  Nobe  auec  leurs  femmes  & 
enfans:  Nonobstant  Dauid  1' ay  ant  eu  par  deux 
105  fois  entre  ses  mains,  a  estime  qu'il  n'ejstoit  permis 
de  I'offencer,  &  a  empesche  ceux  qui  le  vouloient 
faire,  disant  qu'il  n'outrageroit  iamais  celuy  que 
Dieu  auoit  sacre.  Et  peut-on  trouuer  vn  Roy  qui 
aye  tant  tyrannise  ses  subiects  que  Nabuchodonosor  ? 
Apres  auoir  force  Hierusalem,  pille  les  maisons 
d'icelles,  rase  les  murailles,  il  massacra  vne  grande 
partie  du  peuple,  &  emmena  le  surplus  captif  en 
Babylone,  ou  il  fit  faire  sa  statue,  auec  commande- 
ment  h  tous  de  1' adorer,  sur  peine  d'estre  bruslez 
tous  vifs:  ce  neantmoins  les  Prophetes  de  ce  temps 
la  crioient  apres  le  Roy  de  Hierusalem  Sedechie, 
pource  qu'ils  s'estoit  reuolte  contre  son  Souuerain, 
&  erhortoient  les  luifs  transportez  en  Babylone  de 
prier  Dieu  pour  la  prosperite  dudit  Nabuchodonosor 
&  de  ses  enfans.  Si  ces  raisons  ne  nous  esmeuuent, 
I'euenement  qui  est  le  maistre  des  imprudens, 
a     tousiours    monstre    que    les    reuoltes     estoient 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  170 

are  of  this  opinion,  and  the  christian  doctrine 
especially  exhorts  us  to  revere  our  Kings  and 
superiors,  without  any  distinction  as  regards  the 
good  and  the  bad.  Of  this  we  have  a  notable 
example  in  David  who  never  wished  to  touch 
his  enemy  Saul,  a  Prince  furious  and  tyrannical, 
who  had  persecuted  him  cruelly,  and  in  hatred 
of  him,  had  killed  Achimelech,  and  all  the  sacri- 
ficers  of  Nobe  with  their  wives  and  children: 
Notwithstanding  David  having  had  him  twice 
in  his  power,  thought  that  it  was  not  permissible 
to  injure  him,  and  prevented  those  who  wished 
to  do  so,  saying  that  he  never  would  outrage  him 
whom  God  had  consecrated.  And  can  one  find 
any  King  who  tyrannized  his  subjects  so  much  as 
Nebuchadnezzar?  After  having  stormed  Jerusalem, 
pillaged  its  houses,  pulled  down  the  walls,  he  mas- 
sacred a  large  part  of  the  people,  and  led  away 
the  remainder  captives  to  Babylon,  where  he 
set  up  his  statue,  with  command  to  all  to  adore 
it,  under  penalty  of  being  burnt  alive:  .  .  . 
nevertheless  the  prophets  of  that  time  cried  out 
against  the  King  of  Jerusalem,  Zedekiah,  because 
he  had  revolted  against  his  sovereign,  and  ex- 
horted the  Jews  transported  to  Babylon  to  pray 
to  God  for  the  prosperity  of  the  said  Nebuchad- 
nezzar and  his  children.  If  these  reasons  do  not 
move  us,  fate,  which  is  the  master  of  the  imprudent, 
has  always  shown  that  revolts    were  useless,   and 


171  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

inutiles,  &  que  les  rebelles  au  lieu  d'amender 
leur  marche  tomboient  le  plus  souuent  de 
fieure  en  chaud  mal.  Qu'ont  gaign6  les  Floren- 
tins    en    la   mort    d' Alexandre    de    Medicis?     Quel 

106  profit  ont]  fait  les  Gaulois  de  se  reuolter  contra 
Charles  cinquiesme?  On  alleguera  peut-estre  les 
Suisses  qui  se  sont  emancipez  heureusement,  & 
aussi  les  HoUandois.  Quant  a  ceux-cy,  I'assiete 
de  leur  pays  propre  pour  la  defensiue,  1' alliance 
de  leurs  voisins,  &  sur  tout  I'esloignement  du  Roy 
d'Hespagne,  sont  les  piliers  de  leur  republique, 
laquelle  neantmoins  seroit  en  grand  bransle,  si  ce 
Prince  vouloit  tourner  toutes  ses  forces  contr'eux. 
Pour  le  regard  des  Suisses,  leur  vnion,  &  suffisance 
au  fait  des  armes,  &  le  peu  de  richesses  qu'ils  ont, 
ne  donnent  pas  grande  enuie  de  les  assuiettir  & 
remettre  au  train  de  la  Monarchic,  de  laquelle 
ils  ont  este  si  mal  traictez,  que  Ton  ne  peut  iuste- 
ment  imputer  ce  qu'ils  ont  fait  h  vne  rebellion, 
mais  plustost  a  1 'insolence  des  gouuerneurs  qui 
se  licentioient  d'attenter  non  seulement  h  leurs 
biens,  mais  k  leurs  personnes  &  h  leurs  femmes. 
I^a  plus  part  des  peuples  ne  se  contient  pas  es  limites 
d'vne  si  iuste  defense,  ils  se  mutinent  pour  vn  im- 
post, pour  I'aduancement  d'vn  fauorit,  vn  manuals 
gouuernement,    comme    si    ces    maux    estoient    at- 

107  tachez  h  la  Monarchic,]  &  ne  se  trouuoient  pas  auec 
plus  d'excez  en  Test  at  democratique,  ou  les  brigues, 
corruptions,   partialitez,    &    impunitez      de    crimes 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  172 

that  rebels,  instead  of  improving  their  situation, 
fell  generally  from  the  frying  pan  into  the  fire. 
What  did  the  Florentines  gain  by  the  death  of 
Alexander  di  Medici?  What  profit  did  the  Gauls 
get  in  revolting  against  Charles  the  Fifth?  One 
may  instance  perhaps  the  Swiss  who  happily  eman- 
cipated themselves,  and  also  the  Hollanders.  As 
for  these  latter,  the  lay  of  their  country  suitable 
for  defense,  the  alliance  of  their  neighbors,  and 
especially  the  distance  of  the  King  of  Spain,  are 
the  pillars  of  their  Republic,  which  nevertheless 
would  be  much  shaken,  if  this  Prince  wished  to 
turn  all  his  power  against  them.  As  regards  the 
Swiss,  their  union,  and  capacity  in  the  handling 
of  arms,  and  the  little  wealth  that  they  have, 
does  not  rouse  great  desire  to  subdue  them  and 
restore  them  to  the  train  of  Monarchy,  by  which 
they  were  so  badly  treated,  that  one  cannot  justly 
attribute  what  they  did  to  a  rebellion,  but  rather 
to  the  insolence  of  the  governors  who  gave  them- 
selves free  license  to  attack  not  only  their  wealth, 
but  also  their  persons  and  their  wives.  The  greater 
part  of  the  peoples  do  not  hold  themselves  within 
the  limits  of  so  just  a  defense,  they  revolt  for  a 
tax,  for  the  advancement  of  a  favorite,  a  bad  gov- 
ernment, as  if  these  evils  were  attached  to  mon- 
archy, and  were  not  found  in  more  excess  in  the 
democratic  state,  where  the  cabals,  corruptions, 
partialities,   and  impunity  of    crimes  are  common 


173  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

sont  ordinaires,  ou  les  plus  beaux  harangueurs  font 
ce  qu'ils  veulent,  les  vertueux  sont  suspects,  les 
magistrats  peu  respectez,  les  factieux  aduancez,  la 
iustice  vendue  au  plus  off  rant,  &  negligemment  ad- 
ministree.  Tout  cecy  se  remarque  es  republiques 
d'Athenes  &  de  Rome,  les  plus  florissantes  qui  furent 
oncques.  Les  citoyens  estoient  tousiours  aux  prises, 
les  riches  contre  les  pauures,  les  nobles  contre  les 
roturiers:  &  aux  assemblees  de  ville  s'entrebattoient 
k  coups  de  pierre.  En  suitte  massacre,  pilleries,  & 
confusion,  si  que  la  plus  grande  tyrannic  n'eust  pas 
faict  la  moitie  de  ces  maux,  ausquels  ils  n'ont  point 
esprouue  de  meilleurs  remedes,  que  la  domination 
d'vn  seul  homme.  Pareillement  les  Florentins 
depuis  qu'ils  se  sont  gouuernez  etix  mesmes  n'ont 
veu  que  des  changemens  &  desordres  en  leur  ville, 
les  maisons  binislees,  les  rues  pauees  de  corps  morts 
&  autres  tragedies,  qui  ont  continue  iusques  h  ce 
qu'ils  ont  este  ramenez  h  la  Monarchic.  Ceux  de 
108  Genes  n'ont  este  guere  plus]  heureux  en  leur  liberte, 
&  seroient  encore  acharnez  les  vns  contre  les  autres, 
s'ils  ne  craignoient  leur  protecteur.  Et  on  sgait 
bien  ce  quevaut  la  protection  d'vne  ville  k  vn  Prince 
voisin  &  puissant.  Si  les  Republiques  pour  se 
garantir  de  ruine,  ont  recours  k  I'authorite  d'vn 
Souuerain,  les  peuples  qui  y  sont  accoustumez 
ne  s'en  doiuent  departir,  pour  aucun  pretexte 
ou  occasion  que  ce  soit.  La  tyrannic  est  fas- 
cheuse,  ie  le  confesse,  mais  la  fureur  &  confusion 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  174 

occurrences,  where  the  best  orators  do  what  they 
choose,  the  virtuous  are  suspect,  the  magistrates 
are  ill  respected,  the  factious  are  advanced,  justice 
is  sold  to  the  highest  bidder,  and  negligently  ad- 
ministered. All  this  is  noticeable  in  the  Republics 
of  Athens  and  Rome,  the  most  flourishing  that 
ever  were.  The  citizens  were  always  quarrelling, 
the  rich  against  the  poor,  the  nobles  against  the 
plebeians:  and  in  the  city  assemblies  fought  with 
stones.  Then  followed  massacre,  pillaging,  and 
confusion,  so  much  so  that  the  greatest  tyranny 
would  not  have  caused  half  these  evils,  for  which 
they  could  not  find  a  better  remedy,  than  the 
domination  of  a  single  man.  Similarly  the  Flor- 
entines since  they  have  governed  themselves  have 
seen  only  changes  and  disorders  in  their  city,  the 
houses  burnt,  the  streets  paved  with  dead  bodies, 
and  other  tragedies,  which  continued  until  they 
were  led  back  to  monarchy.  Those  of  Genoa 
were  not  much  happier  with  their  liberty,  and 
would  still  be  furious  the  ones  against  the  others, 
if  they  did  not  fear  their  protector.  And  one 
knows  well  what  the  protection  of  a  town  is  worth 
to  a  neighboring  and  powerful  Prince.  If  the 
Republics,  to  guard  against  ruin,  have  recourse 
to  the  authority  of  a  sovereign,  the  peoples  who 
are  accustomed  to  it,  must  not  leave  it,  for  any 
pretext  or  occasion  whatsoever.  Tyranny  is  un- 
fortunate,   I    confess,    but    popular   fury   and   con- 


175  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

populaire  est  encore  plus  h  craindre,  d'autant 
qu'ell'a  vne  cause  permanente,  k  sgavioir  I'humeur 
du  peuple,  variable,  ignorant,  cruel,  amateur  de  nou- 
veaute,  qualitez  qui  luy  sont  &  seront  tousiours 
naturelles.  Au  contraire,  la  tyrannic  se  passe, 
&  souuent  vn  meschant  Prince  se  corrige  soy- 
mesme  sans  contraincte,  comme  Auguste  &  Tite, 
ou  bien  il  s'atedie  des  occupations  publiques,  comme 
Sylla,  &  Diocletian,  qui  renoncerent  de  leur  bon 
gre  k  r Empire.  II  faut  done  endurer  de  telles  gens, 
comme  on  souffre  la  sterilite  d'vne  annee,  en  at- 
tendant vn  meilleur  temps.  Car  la  vicissitude 
109  estant  perpejtuelle  aux  affaires  du  monde,  le  mal 
succede  au  bien,  le  bonheur  k  I'aduersite,  &  apres 
Tor  age  d'vn  iniuste  gouuernement,  on  voit  re- 
luire  le  serein  d'vn  regne  doux  &  paisible.  Si  le 
peuple  entroit  en  ceste  consideration,  ou  s'il  en 
estoit  capable,  il  ne  se  porteroit  pas  si  aysement 
aux  seditions.  Mais  il  faut  aduoiier  que  les  hommes 
augmentent  bien  leurs  miseres  par  impatience  & 
delicatesse.  lis  ne  sentent  pas  si  tost  le  moindre  mal, 
qu'ils  veulent  y  appliquer  vn  violent  remede.  lis 
abboyent  apres  la  tyrannic,  laquelle  neantmoins 
lis  exercent  en  leurs  maisons  impunement.  Ne 
voyons  nous  pas  les  iniustices  que  font  les  maistres 
k  leurs  valets,  les  peres  k  leurs  enfans,  les  precep- 
teurs  k  leurs  disciples?  C'est  vn  vice  commun 
d'abuser  de  sa  puissance,  &  se  monstrer  insolent  k 
I'endroit  de  ses  inferieurs.    le  ne  dis  cecy  povir  excuser 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  176 

fusion  is  still  more   to    be  feared,   the  more  that 
it  has  a  permanent    cause,   to  wit,   the  humor  of 
the    people,    variable,    ignorant,     cruel,    fancier    of 
novelties,    qualities    that   are   and   always   will   be 
natural    to    it.     On   the    contrary   tyranny   passes 
away,  and  often  a  bad  Prince  corrects  himself  with- 
out constraint,  as  Augustus  and  Titus,  or  else   he 
becomes  weary  of  public   occupations,    like    Sulla, 
and  Diocletian,  who  renounced  of   their  own  free 
will    the    Empire.     One    must    then    endure    such 
people,  as  one  does  the  sterility  of  one  year,  while 
waiting  for  a  better  time.     For  vicissitude  being 
perpetual     in     the     affairs     of     the     world,     evil 
succeeds     good,     happiness     adversity,    and    after 
the    storm    of    an    unjust    government,    one    sees 
shine  the  serenity  of  a  pleasant  and  peaceful  reign. 
If    the  people   entered    into  this  consideration,   or 
if  it  was  capable  of   it,  it  would  not  so  easily  be- 
come seditious.     But  it  must  be  admitted  that  men 
augment  greatly  their  miseries  through  impatience 
and  dissatisfaction.     They  no  sooner  feel  the  least 
pain,  than  they  w^sh  to  apply  to  it  a  violent  remedy. 
They    bark    against    tyranny,    which    nevertheless 
they  exercise  in  their   houses  with  impunity.     Do 
we  not  see  the  injustices  that  masters  do  to  their 
valets,  fathers  to  their  children,  preceptors  to  their 
disciples?     It   is    a   common   vice   to   abuse    one's 
power,    and   show  one's   self    insolent  to  one's  in- 
feriors.   I  do  not  say  this  to  excuse  the  bad  Princes, 


177  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

les  mauuais  Princes,  qu'on  ne  peut  trop  vitu- 
perer,  mais  pour  monstrer  qu'il  vaut  mieux  auoir 
vne  teste  catarreuse  que  de  n'en  auoir  point  du 
tout,  &  que  la  tyrannic  ne  dispense  pas  les  sub- 
iects  de  I'obeissance  qu'ils  doiuent  a  leurs  Souuer- 

110  ains;]  encore  moins  la  dissipation  des  finances, 
&  I'iniuste  distribution  des  loyers.  II  faut  en  tel 
cas  proceder  par  humbles  remonstrances,  &  repre- 
senter  au  Prince  la  consequence  de  ces  abus,  non 
pas  en  demander  reformation  les  armes  au  poing, 
comme  on  a  accoustume  de  faire,  au  grand  preiudice 
du  peuple,  qui  est  plus  mine  par  les  soldats  en 
six  mois  qu'il  ne  seroit  par  vn  mauuais  gouuerne- 
ment  de  dix  annees.  La  guerre  n'est  pas  vn  remede 
aux  maladies  d' est  at,  notamment  celle  qui  s'en- 
treprend  contre  son  Souuerain.  II  n'en  doit  point 
donner  d'occasions,  mais  pour  s'en  garantir,  il  luy 
sera  expedient  d' auoir  tousiours  vn  bras  arm6, 
afin  de  tenir  en  crainte  les  rebelles  qui  deuiennent 
audacieux,  quand  ils  voyent  vn  Prince  accompagn6 
trop  simplement,  &  ne  se  defiant  de  personne. 
lules  Cesar  ne  fut  pas  bien  aduise,  de  congedier 
sa  garde:  lustinian  se  trouua  mieux  d' auoir  ses 
soldats  aupres  de  luy  en  la  sedition  de  Bizance, 
en  laquelle  les  mutins  auoient  esleu  vn  nouueau 
Empereur,  qui  fut  tu^  auec  40.  mille  habitans. 
Nous  pouuons  iuger  k  quelle  extremity  il  fut  reduit, 

111  puis]  qu'en  sa  ville  capitale  il  fut  contraint  de  faire  vn 
tel  carnage,  &  s'il  n'eust  eu  des  forces  pour  rembaiTer 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  178 

which  one  cannot  too  much  condemn,  but  to  show 
that  it  is  better  to  have  a  catarrhal  head  than  not 
to  have  any  at  all,  and  that  tyranny  does  not  free 
subjects  from  the  obedience  which  they  owe  to  their 
sovereign:  still  less  the  dissipation  of  the  finances, 
and  the  unjust  distribution  of  salaries.  It  is  nec- 
essary in  such  cases  to  proceed  by  humble  remon- 
strances, and  represent  to  the  Prince  the  conse- 
quence of  these  abuses,  not  ask  their  reforma- 
tion, arms  in  hand,  as  is  customary,  to  the  great 
prejudice  of  the  people,  which  is  more  ruined  by 
soldiers  in  six  months  than  it  would  be  by  a  bad 
government  for  ten  years.  War  is  not  a  remedy  for 
the  maladies  of  the  State,  notably  those  that  are 
undertaken  against  its  sovereign.  He  must  not  give 
occasions,  for  them,  but  to  guard  against  them, 
it  will  always  be  expedient  for  him  to  have  one 
arm  armed  in  order  to  hold  in  check  rebels  who 
become  audacious,  when  they  see  a  Prince  too 
simply  attended,  and  not  mistrustful  of  any  one. 
Julius  Caesar  was  not  well  advised,  to  dismiss  his 
guard:  Justinian  found  himself  better  off  in  having 
his  soldiers  near  him  during  the  sedition  in  By- 
zantium, during  which  the  rebels  had  elected  a  new 
Emperor,  who  was  killed,  together  with  forty 
thousand  inhabitants.  We  can  judge  to  what  ex- 
tremity he  was  reduced,  since  in  his  capital  city 
he  was  compelled  to  make  such  a  slaughter,  and  if 
he  had  not  had  forces  to  put  down  the  factious, 


179  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

les  factieux,  il  estoit  perdu  comme  aussi  Cosme 
de  Medicis,  estoit  en  danger  de  perdre  son  estat, 
s'il  ne  se  fut  courageusement  oppose  aux  mu- 
tineries  des  Florentins.  Le  populas  est  fier  & 
insolent  k  I'endroit  de  ceux  qui  ne  peuuent  re- 
sister:  il  faut  luy  monstrer  les  dents,  si  on  veut 
en  auoir  raison.  Et  ce  mesme  moyen  seruira  contre 
les  particuliers  qui  voudront  remuer  1' estat.  lis 
ne  I'entreprendront  pas  si  hardiment,  quand  ils 
verront  leur  Souuerain  tout  prest  de  remedier 
aux  rebellions,  &  d'en  chastier  les  autheurs.  Qu'il 
monstre  seulement  la  verge,  ou  le  baston,  les  plus 
grands  seront  souples  h  ses  commandemens,  & 
n'oseront  I'offenser.  Et  pour  mieux  encore  pour- 
ueoir  k  sa  seurete,  qu'il  ne  donne  iamais  puissance 
absolue  k  vn  autre,  de  peur  qu'il  ne  luy  arriue  comme 
h  nos  premiers  Roys  qui  furent  en  fin  debusquez' 
par  les  Maires  du  Palais,  ausquels  ils  laissoient 
tout  faire,  afin  de  mener  a  leur  ayse  vne  vie  casaniere. 
Faute  signalee  en  vn  Monarque,  qui  doit  mourir 
112  debout,  c'est  k  dire  en  action,  non  pas]  en  oisiuete, 
disoit  I'Empereur  Vespasian.  Et  iagoit  qu'il  aye 
besoing  d'officiers  &  Lieutenans,  neantmoins  comme 
le  Soleil  communique  ses  rayons  aux  moindres 
estoilles  sans  diminution  de  sa  lumiere,  aussi  il 
ne  doit  iamais  departir  son  authorite,  qu'il  ne 
retienne  par  deuers  luy  le  grand  ressort  des  affaires. 
Que  si  d'auenture  il  voit  vn  sien  vassal  auoir  desia 
acquis  du  credit,  pour  ses  rechesses,  ou  pour  la 
noblesse    de    son   extraction,  il    luy    doibt    deferer 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.     .  180 

he  would  have  been  lost,  as  also  Cosmo  di  Medici 
was  in  danger  of  losing  his  State,  if  he  had  not 
courageously  opposed  the  rebellions  of  the  Flor- 
entines. The  populace  is  proud  and  insolent  in 
face  of  those  who  cannot  resist:  it  is  necessary 
to  show  it  one's  teeth,  if  one  wishes  to  convince  it. 
And  this  same  means  will  serve  against  individuals; 
who  wish  to  overturn  the  State.  They  will  not 
undertake  it  so  boldly,  when  they  see  their  sovereign 
all  ready  to  suppress  rebellions  and  punish  their 
authors.  Let  him  show  only  the  rod,  or  the  stick, 
the  greatest  will  bend  before  his  commands,  and 
will  not  dare  offend  him.  And  in  order  still  better 
to  ensure  his  security,  let  him  never  give  absolute 
power  to  another,  for  fear  that  there  happens  to 
him  as  to  our  first  Kings  who  were  finally  driven 
out  by  the  Mayors  of  the  Palace,  whom  they  al- 
lowed to  do  everything,  in  order  to  lead  at  their  ease 
a  retired  life.  This  is  a  signal  fault  in  a  monarch, 
who  should  die  standing,  that  is  to  say,  in  action, 
not  in  idleness,  said  the  Emperor  Vespasian.  And 
I  believe  that  he  has  need  of  officers  and  Lieu- 
tenants, nevertheless  as  the  sun  communicates 
its  rays  to  the  smallest  stars  without  diminution 
of  its  light,  likewise  he  must  not  ever  give  of  his 
authority,  without  keeping  to  himself  the  leading 
place  in  affairs.  That  if  by  chance  he  sees  one  of 
his  vassals  having  already  acquired  credit,  for  his- 
wealth,   or  for  the  nobility  of  his  race,   he  must 


181  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

plus  d'honneur  que  de  puissance.    Quand  il  le  fera 

grand  maistre,  chef  de  son  conseil,  gouuemeur  de  sa 

ville  capitale,  ce  sont  offices  de  peu   d'effect,   mais 

honorables  &  dignes  des  premiers  Princes  d'vn  Roy- 

aume.    La  Connestablie,   Admiraute,  &   les   grands 

gouuernemens  sont  mieux  en  la   main    des    autres 

Seigneurs  de  moindre  qualite:  car  c'est  vne  sagesse 

politique  de   donner  aux  vns  plus  d'honneur,  aux 

autres  plus  de  puissance,  afin  que  tous  soient  contens, 

&  le  Souuerain  plus  asseure,  qui  ne  doit  tant  craindre 

les   desseings   d'vn  simple  gentil-homme,  que  d'vn 

113     autre  plus  puissant  &  renomme.     C'est]  pourquoy 

Auguste  ne  donnoit  point  le  gouuemement  d' Egypt e 

aux   Senateurs,    craignant   qu'ils   ne   s'emparassent 

de  ceste  riche  Prouince,  &  si  importante  a  1' Empire. 

Aussi    la    charge    de    grand    Preuost,    qui    pouuoit 

autant  luy  seul,  que  le  Connestable,  grand  maistre, 

Chancelier,  &  Capitaine  des  gardes  tous  ensemble, 

n'estoit   donnee   sinon  qu'aux  Cheualiers  Romains, 

&  mesme  estoit  distribuee  esgalement  k  deux  per- 

sonnes,  afin  que  I'vn  fut  contrequarre  par  I'autre, 

&  retenu  en  son  deuoir  par  vne  crainte  mutuelle. 

On  ne  peut  employer  trop  de  precautions  a  I'en- 

contre  des  seditieux,  lesquels  il  faut  non  seulement 

preuenir,  mais  aussi  punir  sans  aucune  misericorde. 

Or  il  y  a  d' autres  personnes,  qui  n'attaquent  pas  si 

apertement  le  pubHc,  &  meantmoins  sont  tresdange- 

reuses,  comme  les  faitneans,  querelleux,  prodigues, 

&   ioiieurs,  lesquels  ne  sont  pas   reputez  criminels, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  182 

accord  him  more  honor  than  power.  If  he  makes 
him  grand  master,  head  of  his  council,  governor 
of  his  capital  city,  these  are  offices  of  little  power, 
but  honorable  and  worthy  of  the  first  Princes  of 
the  Kingdom.  The  War  Office,  the  Admiralty, 
and  the  great  governments  are  better  in  the  hands 
of  the  other  lords  of  lesser  degree:  for  it  is  political 
wisdom  to  give  to  some  more  honor,  to  others  more 
power,  so  that  all  may  be  content,  and  the  sover- 
eign more  assured,  that  he  must  not  fear  so  much 
the  designs  of  a  plain  gentleman  than  of  another 
more  powerful  and  renowned.  It  is  for  that  reason 
that  Augustus  did  not  give  the  government  of 
Egypt  to  Senators,  fearing  that  they  would  seize 
that  rich  province,  and  so  important  to  the  Em- 
pire. Also  the  charge  of  Grand  Prevost,  who  could 
do  as  much  alone,  as  the  Constable,  Grand  Master, 
Chancellor  and  Captain  of  the  guards  altogether, 
was  not  given  except  to  the  Roman  Knights  and 
even  was  distributed  equally,  to  two  persons  in 
order  that  one  might  be  counterbalanced  by  the 
other,  and  held  to  his  duty  by  a  mutual  fear.  One 
cannot  employ  too  much  precaution  against  the 
promoters  of  trouble,  who  must  not  only  be  fore- 
stalled, but  also  punished  without  compassion. 
Now  there  are  other  persons,  who  do  not  attack 
the  public  so  openly,  and  nevertheless  are  very  dan- 
gerous, like  the  idlers,  quarrelsome  spendthrifts, 
and  gamblers,  who  are  not  reputed  criminals,  even 


183  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

encore  qu'ils  ne  valient  gueres  mieux.  Nous 
auons  parl6  des  faitneans.  Les  querelleux  ont 
vne   grande    disposition    k    mal    faire:    ils    ne    de- 

114  mandent  que  la  guerre,  &  lors  qu'ils  n'ont]  point 
d'ennemis  publics,  il  en  font  de  particuliers.  Ce 
vice  est  ordinaire  aux  peuples  de  Septentrion, 
qui  sont  fiers,  insolens,  &  ne  peuuent  viure  sans 
battre  ou  quereller  quelqu'vn:  h  quoy  il  faut  reme- 
dier.  Car  ou  ils  attaqueront,  comme  il  arriue  le  plus 
souuent,  vn  homme  imbecille,  &  alors  ils  luy  feront 
premierement  mille  idignitez,  puis  apres  en  auoir 
eu  le  passetemps,  ils  viendront  h  vne  aperte  iniustice : 
&  par  ce  moyen  le  respect  du  Prince  &  des  loix 
sera  diminue,  dont  s'ensuiura  vne  confusion  ine- 
uitable.  Ou  bien  ils  s'addresseront  a  vn  homme 
de  courage,  &  lors  ils  viendront  aux  mains,  &  s'ils 
ont  du  credit  ils  embarasseront  en  leur  querelle 
leurs  parens  &  amis:  ce  qui  est  de  perilleuse  con- 
sequence. II  n'y  a  qu'vn  remede  singulier  a  cela. 
C'est  de  contraindre  les  querelleux  a  vne  satisfac- 
tion competente  a  I'endroit  de  ceux  qu'ils  auront 
offense.  le  dis  satisfaction  conpetente  c'est  a 
dire  proportionnee  k  I'iniure  receue.  Car  vn  qui 
aura  donne  des  bastonnades  doit  vne  satisfaction 
plus  ample,  que  celuy  qui  aura  donne  vn  souffle t, 
ou  vn  desmenty.     Et  d'ailleurs,   vn  affront  faict] 

115  k  vn  Seigneur  ou  Magistrat,  est  plus  punissable,  que 
s'il  estoit  faict  k  vn  sauetier  ou  portefaix.  La  dis- 
tinction des  personnes  diuersifie  vn  mesme  fait,  & 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  184 

though  they  are  not  worth  much  more.     We  have 
spoken  of  the  idlers.    The  quarrelsome  have  a  strong 
disposition  to  do  wrong :  they  ask  nothing  but  war, 
and  when  they  have  no  public  enemies,  they  seek 
individual  ones.     This  vice  is  usual  to  the  peoples 
of  the  north,  who  are  proud,  insolent,  and  cannot 
live  without  fighting  or  quarrelling  with  some  one : 
for  which  a  remedy  must  be  found.    For  either  they 
will  attack,  as  most  often  happens,  a  foolish  man, 
and  then  they  will  first  do  to  him  a  thousand  in- 
dignities,  then  after  having  had  the  amusement, 
they  will  come  to  an  open  injustice:    and  by  this 
means  the  respect  of  the  Prince  and  the  laws  will 
be   diminished,   from  which   will   follow  inevitable 
confusion.      Or  else   they   will   address   themselves 
to  a  man  of  courage,  and  then  they  will  come  to 
blows,  and  if  they  have  credit  they  will  draw  into 
their    quarrel    their    parents    and    friends:     which 
is    of    perilous    consequence.      There    is    only    one 
remedy  suitable  for  that.     It  is  to  constrain  the 
quarrelsome  to  give  satisfactory  compensation  to 
those  whom  they  have  offended.     I  say  satisfactory 
compensation,  that  is  to  say,  proportionate  to  the 
injury  received.     For  one  who  has  given  a  beating 
owes  a  more  ample  satisfaction,  than  he  who  has 
given  a  blow  or  the  lie.       And  besides,  an  affront 
to  a  Lord  or  Magistrate,  is  more  punishable,  than 
if  it  was  done  to  a  cobbler  or  a  porter.     The  dis- 
tinction of  persons  diversifies  the  same  act,   and 


185  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

le  rend  plus  atroce  ou  plus  leger.  Et  ceste  con- 
sideration est  remise  k  la  prudence  des  iuges.  Mais 
pour  ne  point  dissimuler,  ils  font  trop  bon  marche 
de  I'honneur  d'autruy,  &  ne  punissent  pas  assez 
rigoureusement  les  insolences.  Vn  effronte  im- 
pudent qui  aura  outrage  quelqu'vn,  en  sera  quitte 
pour  vn  emprisonnement  de  deux  ou  trois  iours,  & 
s'il  a  des  amis,  il  n'y  sera  pas  trois  heures.  On 
luy  fera  seulement  faire  quelque  petite  satisfaction 
verbale,  auec  condamnation  de  despens:  cepen- 
dant  les  coups  de  bast  on  sont  ruez,  &  la  honte 
demeure  au  battu.  Qui  fait  que  plusieurs  ne 
pouuans  auoir  autre  raison,  sont  contraincts  d'appel- 
ler  les  ennemis  pour  sauuer  leur  honneur.  De  Ih 
viennent  tant  de  duels  si  ordinaires  aujourd'huy, 
principalement  en  France,  &  que  nos  Roys  taschent 
d'empescher:  mais  ils  n'y  paruiendront  iamais, 
s'ils  n'ordonnent  vne  plus  grande  satisfaction  k 
116  celuy  qui  aura  este  offense]  en  sa  personne  ou  en 
son  honneur.  C'est  bien  faict  de  chastier  ces 
escrimeurs  k  outrance,  de  les  traicter  ignominieuse- 
ment  apres  leur  mort,  confisquer  leurs  biens.  Mais 
if  faut  oster  la  source  du  mal,  qui  est  I'insolence 
de  ceux  qui  attaquent.  Car  que  peut  faire  vn 
homme  d'honneur  ayant  receu  I'affront,  principale- 
ment s'il  fait  profession  des  armes?  Se  plaindra-il 
k  la  iustice?  On  se  mocquera  de  luy,  pour  le  peu  de 
reparation  qu'il  en  aura.     Demandera-il  permission 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  186 

renders    it    more    atrocious    or    of    less    account. 
And    this    consideration    is    referred    to    the    pru- 
dence of  the  judges.     But  to  speak  with  accuracy, 
they  make  too  little  of  the  honor  of  others,   and 
do  not  punish  with  sufficient  rigor  insolences.     An 
impudent  aggressor  who  has  outraged  some  one, 
will  get  off  with  an  imprisonment  of  two  or  three 
days,  and  if  he  has  friends,  he  will  not  be  there 
three  hours.     They  will  make  him  give  some  little 
verbal  satisfaction,  with  payment  of  the  costs :  still 
the  cane  strokes   have   been  given,  and  the  shame 
remains  to  him  who  has  been  beaten.     The  result 
is    that    many  not  being  able  to  have   any  other 
redress,    are   constrained   to   call   out   their  enemy 
in   order   to    save   their   honor.     Thence    come    so 
many  duels  so  frequent  to-day,  principally  in  France, 
and  that   our   Kings  try  to   stop:    but   they  will 
never  accomplish  this,  if  they  do  not  decree  more 
ample  satisfaction  to  him  who  has  been  offended 
in   his   person   or   honor.     It   is   right   to   chastise 
these   desperado   swordsmen,   to   treat   them  igno- 
miniously    after    their    death,    to    confiscate    their 
goods.     But  it  is  imperative  to  remove  the  root 
of  the  evil,  which  is  the  insolence  of  those  who  at- 
tack.    For  what  can  a  man  of  honor  do  who  has 
received  an  insult,  especially  if  he  makes  a  pro- 
fession   of    arms?     Will    he    complain    to    justice? 
People  will  mock  at  him,  for  the  scant  reparation 
he  will  receive.     Will  he  ask  permission  to  fight 


187  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

d'vn  duel?  On  attribuera  cela  h  couardise,  & 
encore  plus  s'il  se  contente  d'vne  satisfaction 
faicte  deuant  cinq  ou  six  personnes.  Estant  done 
reduit  en  ces  destresses,  il  faut  qu'il  se  cache  k 
iamais  n'osant  paroistre  en  compagnie,  ou  qu'il 
se  vange  par  meurtre  k  quelque  pris  que  ce  soit. 
Qui  s'il  esperoit  auoir  satisfaction  siiffisante  pour 
reparer  son  honneur,  il  n'entreroit  pas  si  librement 
en  ces  voyes  de  faict.  Ceste  satisfaction  se  feroit 
en  paroles,  si  1' affront  auoir  este  de  mesme,  ou  en 
effect  si  I'inuire  estoit  faicte  realement  sur  sa  per- 
117  Sonne.  Et]  encore  que  la  loy  de  peine  esgalle 
dicte  par  les  Latins  Talion  semble  estre  propre 
pour  ce  subiect:  neantmoins  ie  conseillerois  de 
passer  plus  outre,  pour  les  difficultez  qu'il  y  a  le 
plus  souuent  en  1 'execution  d'icelle,  &  de  punir 
doublement  celuy  qui  auroit  offense:  h  sgauoir 
que  pour  vn  souffiet,  ou  vn  coup  de  baston  qu'il 
auroit  donne,  on  luy  en  donnast  deux  publique- 
ment,  en  presence  de  sa  partie  aduerse.  Et  pour 
le  regard  des  parolles  ou  mocqueries  picquantes, 
qu'on  luy  en  fit  faire  1' amende  honorable,  telle 
que  le  cas  meriteroit,  &  la  qualite  des  personnes 
offensee.  Ie  dis  mocqueries  picquantes,  pource 
qu'ils  s'en  trouue  de  plusieurs  sortes,  &  comme  il 
ne  se  faut  pas  courroucer,  pour  peu  de  chose,  aussi 
il  y  a  des  fagons  de  faire  insupportables,  &  bien 
souuent  vn  geste,  vne  mine  faicte  par  mespris 
irrite  plus  vn  coeur  genereux,  que  non  pas  vne 
action  violente.  Ne  voyons-nous  pas  la  plus  part  des 
querelles  prendre  leur  origine  des  paroles  temer aires 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  188 

a  duel?  This  will  be  attributed  to  cowardice,  and 
still  more  if  he  contents  himself  with  a  satisfac- 
tion given  before  five  or  six  persons.  Being  there- 
fore reduced  to  such  straits,  he  must  hide  himself 
for  all  time,  not  daring  to  appear  in  society,  or 
else  he  must  avenge  himself  by  murder  at  any 
cost  whatever.  But  if  he  hoped  to  have  sufficient 
satisfaction  to  vindicate  his  honor,  he  would  not 
so  readily  resort  to  force.  This  satisfaction  would 
be  in  words,  if  the  affront  was  in  words,  or  by  act 
if  the  injury  was  really  made  upon  his  person. 
And  even  though  the  law  of  equal  punishment 
called  by  the  Latins  Talio  seems  well  suited 
for  this  object:  nevertheless  I  would  counsel  to 
go  even  further,  on  account  of  the  difficulties  that 
generally  arise  in  its  execution,  and  to  punish 
doubly  he  who  had  offended:  to  wit,  for  a  blow, 
or  a  stroke  of  a  stick  he  had  given,  one  should  give 
him  two  publicly,  in  the  presence  of  his  adversary. 
And  as  for  words  or  biting  mockery,  that  he  should 
be  forced  to  make  honorable  amends,  as  the  case 
may  require,  and  the  quality  of  the  persons  offended. 
I  say  biting  mockeries,  because  there  are  several 
kinds  of  these,  and  though  one  must  not  become 
angry  for  small  cause,  still  there  are  ways  of  being 
insupportable,  and  often  a  gesture,  an  expression 
of  contempt  irritates  more  a  generous  heart,  than 
a  violent  action.  Do  we  not  see  most  of  the  quar- 
rels started  by  the  heedless  words  of  those  who 


189  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

de  ceux  qui  ne  peuuent  dire  vn  mot  sans  offenser 

118  quelqu'vn?  On  ne  sgauroit  trop  refrener]  telle 
insolence.  Et  quant  k  ceux  qui  usent  de  main 
mise,  si  ie  suis  d'aduis  qu'on  leur  rende  le  double, 
cela  n'est  point  hors  de  raison.  Les  loix  Romaines 
font  payer  au  larron  le  quadruple.  Pourquoy  ne 
punira-on  pas  d'vne  pareille  rigueur  celuy  qui  viole 
I'honneur  plus  cher  sans  conparaison  que  la  che- 
uance  8c  la  vie?  A  quel  propos  endurer  qu'vn  fai- 
neant (ordinairement  les  querelles  viennent  de  ces 
gens  Ik)  se  fourre  en  vne  compagnie,  &  ne  sgachant 
que  faire  attaque  cestui-cy  &  cestuy  Ik?  Que  s'il 
ose  luy  repartir,  aussi  tost  on  voit  ruer  des  coups, 
&  le  plus  fort  foule  aux  pieds  le  plus  foible,  aussi 
hardiment  au  milieu  d'vne  ville,  comme  si  c'estoit 
au  coing  d'vn  bois.  Peut  on  esperer  vne  paix  en 
souffrant  telles  canailles  qui  sappent  les  fondemens 
de  la  tranquillite  publique?  II  les  faut  traicter  de 
mesme  fagon  qu'ils  traittent  les  autres:  &  puis 
qu'ils  attaquent  si  effrontement  I'honneur,  ils  meri- 
tent  vne  peine  qui  leur  opporte  de  I'ignominie,  & 
si  on  les  mettoit  au  carquan  vn  iour  durant,  ils 
seroient  bien  employez:    on   ne  verroit   pas  tant] 

119  de  dementis  donnez  k  la  volee.  Chacun  se  modere- 
roit  en  ses  discours  &  actions.  Ce  seroit  trop 
grande  seuerite,  dira  quelqu'vn  d'eplucher  de  si 
pres  les  parolles  ou  les  gestes.  Ie  responds  que 
ceste  seuerite  est  necessaire,  &  que  tous  deporte- 
mens  qui  tendent  a  sedition  sont  punissables.  La 
societe  humaine  n'a  que  faire  de  querelleux,  teme- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  190 

cannot  say  a  word  without  offending  some  one. 
One  could  not  sufficiently  check  such  insolence. 
And  as  for  those  who  make  use  of  violence,  if  I 
am  of  opinion  that  they  be  given  double,  that  is 
not  out  of  the  bounds  of  reason.  The  Roman 
laws  make  the  robber  pay  fourfold.  Why  not 
punish  with  a  similar  rigor  he  who  violates  honor 
more  cherished  beyond  compare  than  fortune  and 
life?  Why  allow  an  idler  (ordinarily  the  quarrels 
come  from  those  people)  to  intrude  himself  into 
a  gathering,  and  not  knowing  what  to  do  attacks 
this  one  and  that  one?  That  if  one  dares  reply, 
at  once  one  sees  blows  struck,  and  the  stronger 
tramples  upon  the  weaker,  as  boldly  in  the  midst 
of  a  town,  as  if  it  was  at  the  comer  of  a  wood.  Can 
one  hope  for  peace  when  tolerating  such  rabble, 
who  sap  the  foundations  of  public  tranquility? 
They  must  be  treated  in  the  same  way  that  they 
treat  others:  and  since  they  attack  honor  so  out- 
rageously, they  merit  a  punishment  that  will  bring 
them  disgrace,  and  if  they  were  placed  in  the  stocks 
for  a  whole  day,  they  would  be  well  employed: 
one  would  not  see  so  many  Hes  given  off  hand. 
Each  one  would  be  more  moderate  in  his  words 
and  actions.  It  would  be  too  great  severity,  some 
one  will  say,  to  scan  so  closely  words  or  gestures. 
I  answer  that  this  severity  is  necessary,  and  that  all 
actions  which  tend  towards  sedition  are  punishable. 
Human  society  has  no  use  for  quarrelers,  ruffians 


191  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

raires,  &  couppeiarets.  Les  Princes  s'en  passeront 
bien  aussi,  &  les  doiuent  exterminer,  Autrement 
ils  verront  tousiours  des  assassinats  &  duels  qui 
depeupleront  leur  Monarchie.  Mais  en  obseruant 
ce  que  dessus,  il  n'y  aura  pas  presse  a  offense  ny 
iniurier  vn  autre,  &  ainsi  la  cause  de  ces  malheurs 
sera  ostee.  Car  il  n'y  ahomme  sivindicatif  que 
ne  se  contentast  de  voir  bastonner  publiquement 
son  ennemy,  ou  endurer  vne  reprimende  plus  hon- 
teuse,  que  I'inuire  qu'il  auroit  receue.  Et  alors 
on  auroit  raison  de  punir  a  tout  rigueur  les  duels, 
de  rendre  infames  ces  maistres  cabalistes  du  poinct 
d'honneur,  qui  seroient  si  delicats  de  refuser,  vne] 
120  ample  satisfaction,  qui  leur  rendroit  leur  honneur, 
&  les  feroit  iouyr  de  la  honte  &  ignominie  de  leur 
aduersaire.  Si  on  dit  que  I'offense  ne  peut  pas  tous- 
iours verifier  vne  iniure,  &  part  ant  qu'il  est  con- 
trainct  d'appeller  son  homme  en  duel,  n'en  pouuant 
tirer  raison  iuridiquement,  par  faute  de  preuues. 
Ce  cas  a  la  verite  est  considerable,  &  auquel  les 
anciens  Francois,  Lombards,  &  autres  peuples  de 
Germanic  permettoient  le  combat:  &  c'estoit  chose 
honorable  de  le  demander.  Mais  auiourd'huy  on  ne 
garde  point  ces  formalitez.  On  s'enuoye  incontinent 
le  cartel  de  deffi,  au  grand  mespris  du  Prince,  qui  est 
maistre  de  la  vie  de  ses  subiects,  &  par  consequent 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  192 

and  cut  throats.  Princes  will  readily  get  on  with- 
out them  and  should  exterminate  them.  Other- 
wise they  will  always  see  assassinations  and  duels 
which  will  depopulate  their  monarchy.  But  by 
following  what  has  been  said  above,  there  will 
be  no  hurry  to  offend  nor  to  injure  another,  and 
thus  the  cause  of  these  misfortunes  will  be  taken 
away.  For  there  is  no  man  so  vindictive  who  will 
not  be  content  to  see  his  enemy  publicly  beaten, 
or  suffer  a  more  shameftd  reprimand,  than  the  in- 
jury that  he  had  received.  And  then  there  would 
be  good  reason  to  punish  with  the  greatest  sever- 
ity duels,  to  render  infamous  those  men  so  tena- 
cious of  the  point  of  honor,  and  who  are  so  dainty 
that  they  refuse,  an  ample  satisfaction,  that  would 
give  them  back  their  honor,  and  would  make  them 
rejoice  in  the  shame  and  ignominy  of  their  adver- 
sary. One  may  say  that  the  insulted  party  can- 
not always  verify  an  insult,  and  therefore  that  he 
is  compelled  to  call  his  man  out  in  a  duel,  not  being 
able  to  have  satisfaction  judicially,  owing  to  want 
of  proofs.  There  is  in  truth  a  good  deal  in  this, 
and  on  account  of  it  the  ancient  Franks,  Lombards, 
and  other  peoples  of  Germany,  permitted  the  com- 
bat: and  it  was  an  honorable  thing  to  demand  it. 
But  to-day  one  does  not  keep  to  those  formalities. 
One  sends  immediately  the  challenge,  with  utter 
contempt  of  the  Prince,  who  is  master  of  the 
lives  of  his  subjects,   and  consequently  must  not 


193  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

ne  doit  pas  endurer  qu'ils  la  prodiguent  sans 
son  conge.  Aussi  il  ne  doit  pas  desnier  le 
combat,  quand  I'offense  n'a  point  de  suffisans  tes- 
moignages  du  tort  qu'il  dit  auoir  receu,  &  qu'il  y 
en  a  toutesfois  quelques  coniectures:  le  tout  pour 
euiter  les  assassinats  &  factions  qui  pourroient 
suruenir,  par  faute  de  donner  vne  telle  permission. 
Car  bien  souuent  deux  hommes  sont  si  acharnez] 
121  I'vn  sur  I'autre,  qu'il  est  impossible  de  les  accorder, 
&  qui  pis  est,  s'ils  sont  riches  &  puissans,  ils  causent 
des  partialitez  en  vne  ville,  ou  Royaume,  de  maniere 
qu'il  est  expedient  de  les  faire  entrebattre,  afin 
que  leur  sang  estaigne  le  feu  de  diuision  ciuile  qui 
pourroit  s'allumer:  mais  pour  n'en  point  venir  k 
ces  extremitez,  il  n'est  que  de  diuertir  les  querelles 
par  vn  chastiment  ignomineux,  ainsi  que  nous 
auons  dit.  Quelques  vns  peut  est  re  aymeront  mieux 
presenter  le  deffi,  que  de  demander  en  iugement 
reparation  d'vn  desmentir,  ou  d'vn  autre  affront: 
mais  quand  ils  verront  leurs  ennemys  si  mal  menez 
pour  vne  parole  iniurieuse,  &  que  d'ailleurs  ils 
consideront  I'infamie  dont  on  punira  ceux  qui 
presenteront  le  duel  sans  permission  du  Prince, 
ie  croy  qu'ils  seront  plus  retenus,  &  qu'ils  accep- 
teront  vne  satisfaction  non  moins  honorable  qu'as- 
seuree.  A  quoy  ils  doiuent  estre  conuiez  par 
r  apprehension  d'vn  supplice  infame,  afin  que 
ceux  qui  cherchent  I'honneur  aux  duels  n'y 
gaignent   rien  sinon  vne  infamie   pour  eux  &  leur 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  194 

endure  that  they  waste  them  without  :his  consent. 
Therefore  he  must  not  forbid  the  combat,  when 
the  offended  party  has  not  sufficient  proofs  of  the 
wrong  which  he  says  he  has  received,  and  that 
he  has  though  nevertheless  it  may  be  surmised  to 
be  true:  all  this  to  avoid  the  assassinations  and 
factions  that  might  arise,  for  lack  of  giving  such  a 
permission.  For  very  often  two  men  are  so  furious 
one  against  the  other,  that  it  is  impossible  to  accord 
them,  and  what  is  worse,  if  they  are  rich  and  power- 
ful, they  cause  partisanships  in  a  town,  or  kingdom, 
so  that  it  is  expedient  to  let  them  fight,  so  that 
their  blood  should  stamp  out  the  fire  of  civil  strife 
which  might  be  lighted :  but  in  order  not  to  come  to 
such  extremes,  there  is  no  way  but  to  divert  quar- 
rels by  an  ignominious  punishment,  as  we  have 
said.  Some  one  perhaps  would  like  better  to  pre- 
sent a  challenge,  than  to  demand  in  court  reparation 
for  having  been  given  the  lie,  or  some  other  affront : 
but  when  they  see  their  enemies  so  badly  pun- 
ished for  an  insulting  speech,  and  when  besides 
they  consider  the  infamy  with  which  those  will  be 
punished  who  press  a  duel  without  permission  of 
the  Prince,  I  believe  they  will  be  more  self  restrained 
and  that  they  will  accept  a  satisfaction  no  less  hon- 
orable than  assured.  To  which  they  must  be  in- 
vited by  the  fear  of  an  infamous  punishment,  so 
that  those  who  seek  honor  by  duels  shall  gain 
nothing  thereby  except  infamy  for  themselves  and 


195  LE    NOVVEAV    CYN^E. 

122  posterite.  Car  c'est  vne  coustume  bestiale]  &  qui  n'a 
iamais  este  vsitee  parmy  les  plus  fameuses  nations, 
sinon  en  faict  de  guerre,  lors  qu'vn  homme  s'offroit 
de  combattre  pour  I'honneur  de  son  pays,  ou  lors 
que  deux  peuples  ennemis  pour  espargner  le  sang  re- 
mettoient  la  decision  de  leurs  querelles  a  I'euenement 
d'vn  combat  particulier  entre  2.  ou  3.  hommes, 
qu'ils  choisissoient  d'vne  part  &  autres,  a  condition 
que  leur  victoire  tourneroit  au  profit  de  leurs  com- 
patriotes,  qui  donneroient  la  loy  au  parti  vaincu. 
Ainsi  le  different  des  Romains  &  Albanois  fut  ter- 
mine  par  le  combat  des  trois  Curiaces  &  trois  Hora- 
ces: &  d'autant  que  ceux-cy  qui  combattoient  pour 
les  Romains  remporterent  la  victoire,  les  Albanois 
aussi-tost  quitterent  les  armes  &  se  sousmirent  k 
leurs  ennemis  suiuant  ce  qui  auoit  este  accorde. 
Mais  ie  ne  trouue  en  toutes  les  histoires  aucune 
inimitie  plus  honorablement  terminee  que  celle 
de  Varenus  &  Pulfio.  Ces  deux  soldats  de  Cesar 
auoient  tousiours  de  grandes  contestations,  &  ne 
se  pouuoient  reconcilier,  iusques  a  ce  qu'estans  vn 

123  iour  proches  de  I'ennemy,]  Pulfio  s'aduisa  de  dire 
k  son  aduersaire.  Que  tardons  nous  Varenus,  de 
monstrer  nostre  vaillance  en  vne  si  belle  occasion  ? 
C'est  a  ceste  heure  que  Ton  verra  lequel  de  nous 
deux  sera  le  plus  habille  homme.  Et  apres  auoir 
dit  ces  parolles  il  se  ietta  a  corps  perdu  au 
trauers  des  esquadrons  ennemis,  &  en  tua  plusiers: 
mais  en  fin  il  fut  inuesti  d'vne  grande   multitude 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  196 

their  posterity.  For  it  is  a  beastly  custom  and 
which  has  never  been  used  among  the  most  famous 
nations,  except  in  case  of  war,  when  one  man 
offered  himself  to  fight  for  the  honor  of  his  country, 
or  when  two  hostile  peoples,  in  order  to  save  blood- 
shed, referred  the  decision  of  their  quarrel  to  the 
outcome  of  a  private  combat  between  two  or  three 
men,  who  were  chosen  specially  by  each  side,  on 
condition  that  their  victory  would  redound  to  the 
profit  of  their  compatriots,  who  would  impose  the 
law  on  the  conquered  party.  Thus  the  quarrel 
between  the  Romans  and  Albans  was  terminated 
by  the  combat  of  the  three  Curiaces  and  the  three 
Horaces:  and  in  as  much  as  those  who  fought  for 
the  Romans  carried  off  the  victory,  the  Albans  at 
once  grounded  their  arms  and  submitted  to  their 
enemies  according  to  what  had  been  agreed  upon. 
But  I  do  not  find  in  all  the  histories  any  enmity 
more  honorably  ended  than  that  of  Varenus  and 
Pulfio.  These  two  soldiers  of  Caesar  always  had 
great  debates,  and  could  not  become  friends,  until 
one  day,  being  close  to  the  enemy,  it  occurred  to 
Pulfio  to  say  to  his  rival :  "Why  do  we  tarry,  Vare- 
nus, to  prove  our  courage  on  such  a  lucky  occasion? 
Now  is  the  time  that  will  be  demonstrated  which  of 
us  two  is  the  more  skillful  man. ' '  And  after  having 
spoken  these  words  he  threw  himself  headlong 
among  the  squadrons  of  the  enemy,  and  killed 
several:  but  finally  he  was  surrounded  by  a  great 


197  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qui  le  terrassa.  Varenus  apparceuant  cela  &  craig- 
nant  d'estre  repute  lasche,  accburut  incontinent  au 
secours  de  Pulfio.  Ce  que  les  ennemis  voyans  quit- 
tent  cestui-cy,  &  se  ruent  sur  Varenus.  Pulfio 
qui  auoit  este  desgage  par  son  ancien  aduersaire, 
ne  le  laissa  point  en  telle  necessite,  &  pour  luy  rendre 
la  pareille,  le  deffend  contre  les  ennemis,  &  le  deliure 
d'vn  peril  ineuitable.  Ainsi  ils  se  reconcilierent 
auec  honneur  &  applaudissement  de  toute  rarmee. 
Si  h  I'exemple  de  ces  soldats,  ceux  qui  ont  quelque 
chose  a  demesler  ensemble  esprouuoient  leur  valeur 
contre  vn  ennemy  commun,  ils  seroient  plus  loiiables. 
124  Mais  en  ce  temps  les  regies  de  vertu]  &  generosity 
sont  peruerties:  &  nous  mettons  le  point  d'honneur 
en  ie  ne  sgay  quelles  petites  braueries,  que  les  an- 
ciens  ont  mesprise,  &  mesmes  les  Turcs  se  moc- 
quent  des  duels,  &  les  attribuent  a  vne  foiblesse 
d' esprit  ou  impertinence.  En  contreschange  nous 
les  osons  bien  appeller  barbares:  comme  si  Ton 
pouuoit  imaginer  vne  barbaric  plus  grande,  que 
de  se  battre  auec  ses  compatriot es  amys,  parens, 
&  garder  contre  eux  des  inimitiez  irreconciliables. 
La  paix  vniuerselle  pouri'a  remedier  a  ce  mal,  si 
nous  y  pouuons  paruenir,  &  les  actes  d'hostilite 
publique  estans  defendus,  il  y  a  apparence,  que 
les  haynes  particulieres  cesseront  ou  seront 
addoucies.  Quant  on  aura  gaigne  ce  poinct,  il 
faudra  regler  la  despence  d'vn  chacun,  afin  qu'il  ne 


the;  new  cyneas.  198 

multitude  who  threw  him  down.  Varenus  seeing 
this  and  fearing  to  be  reputed  a  coward,  ran  at 
once  to  the  succor  of  Pulfio.  Which  the  enemies 
seeing  left  this  one,  and  threw  themselves  upon 
Varenus.  Pulfio  who  had  been  disengaged  by  his 
ancient  rival,  did  not  leave  him  in  such  stress,  and 
in  order  to  render  him  the  equivalent,  defended 
him  against  the  enemy,  and  delivered  him  from 
certain  peril.  Thus  they  became  reconciled  with 
honor  and  applause  of  the  whole  army.  If,  fol- 
lowing the  example  of  these  soldiers,  those  who 
have  something  to  settle  with  each  other  would 
try  their  valor  against  a  common  enemy,  they 
woiild  be  more  praiseworthy.  But  at  the  present 
time  the  rules  of  virtue  and  generosity  are  per- 
verted: and  we  place  the  point  of  honor  in  I  know 
not  what  little  brave  deeds,  which  the  ancients 
disdained,  and  even  the  Turks  mock  at  duels,  and 
attribute  them  to  feebleness  of  mind  or  nonsense. 
In  exchange  we  dare  to  call  them  barbarians:  as  if 
one  could  imagine  a  greater  barbarity  than  to 
fight  with  one's  compatriots,  friends,  parents,  and 
retain  against  them  irreconcilable  ill  wills.  Uni- 
versal peace  can  remedy  this  evil,  if  we  can  reach 
it,  and  the  acts  of  public  hostility  being  forbidden, 
there  is  a  possibility  that  individual  hatreds  will 
cease  or  will  be  softened.  When  this  point  will 
have  been  gained,  it  will  be  necessary  to  regulate 
the  expenses  of  each  one,  in  order  that  he  does  not 


199  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

prodigue  son  bien.  Ce  qui  n'est  pas  de  petite  im- 
portance pour  la  conseruation  d'vn  estat,  pource 
que  les  prodigues  estans  deuenus  necessiteux,  comme 
ils  ne  peuuent  faillir,  chercheront  des  occasions  de 
se  replumer  aux  despens  d'autruy,  afin  d'entretenir 
leurs  superfluitez   accoustumees.     S'il  y  a  quelque 

125  rejmuement,  ces  gens  la  s'y  portent  tousiours  des 
premiers:  &  Catilina  n'auoit  quasi  point  d'autres 
partisans  que  ceux  qui  auoient  mange  leur  bien 
aux  cabarets,  bordeaux,  &  breslans.  Les  cabarets 
ne  sont  que  pour  les  passans.  Les  bordeaux  sont 
tolerez  en  quelque  pais  pour  euiter  vn  plus  grand 
mal:  &  neantmoins  il  n'en  seroit  pas  besoing,  si 
la  police  des  Romains  auoit  lieu,  qui  conuioient 
leur  citoyens  a  se  marier,  en  leur  proposant  plu- 
sieurs  beaux  priuileges.  Non  que  ie  vueille  con- 
damner  le  celibat  des  Prestres  &  religieux,  mais 
il  seroit  expedient  que  le  reste  du  peuple  fut  con- 
trainct  de  prendre  femme  a  I'exemple  des  Chinois, 
qui  donnent  vne  vacation  a  leurs  enfans,  &  les  ma- 
rient  de  bonne  heure,  de  peur  qu'ils  ne  se  desbau- 
chent:  ioinct  que  le  principal  piuot  d'vn  Empire 
sont  les  marriages.  Tant  y  a  que  le  plus  qu'on  peut 
empescher  les  paillardises  c'est  le  meilleur.  Car  ce 
sont  preludes  d' adult eres,  &  suffit  d'endurer  les  vices 
qui  se  font  en  cache tte,  sans  permettre  encore 
d'en    tenir    boutique.      C'est    pourquoy    ces    lieux 

126     infames  doiuent  estre  defendus,]  ou  la  ieunesse  perd 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  200 

waste  his  wealth.  This  is  of  no  small  importance 
for  the  conservation  of  a  State,  because  the  prodigals 
having  become  needy,  as  they  cannot  fail,  to  do,  will 
seek  for  occasions  to  recoup  themselves  at  the  ex- 
pense of  others,  in  order  to  maintain  their  accus- 
tomed superfluities.  If  there  is  any  trouble,  those 
people  always  go  there  among  the  first :  and  Catiline 
had  hardly  any  other  partisans  except  those 
who  had  eaten  their  wealth  in  the  taverns, 
brothels  and  gambling  houses.  Taverns  are  only 
for  the  passer  by,  the  brothels  are  tolerated  in  some 
countries  to  avoid  a  greater  evil:  and  nevertheless 
they  would  not  be  needed,  if  the  policy  of  the  Ro- 
mans was  in  force,  which  invited  their  citizens  to 
marry,  by  proposing  several  beautiful  privileges. 
Not  that  I  wish  to  condemn  the  celibacy  of  the 
priests  and  religious  orders,  but  it  would  be  ex- 
pedient that  the  rest  of  the  people  was  forced  to 
take  a  wife  according  to  the  example  of  the  Chi- 
nese, who  give  a  vocation  to  their  children,  and 
marry  them  early,  for  fear  that  they  become  de- 
bauched: added  that  the  principal  pivot  of  an 
empire  are  the  marriages.  So  much  is  there  in  this 
that  the  more  one  can  prevent  the  whoremongers 
the  better  it  is.  For  these  are  preludes  of  adul- 
tery, and  it  suffices  to  endure  the  vices  that  are 
committed  in  secret,  without  yet  allowing  a  shop  to 
be  kept  for  them.  It  is  for  that  that  these  infa- 
mous places  must  be  forbidden,  where  youth  loses 


201  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

le  corps,  &  les  biens :  en  quoy  ils  sont  plus  pernicieux 
que  les  breslans,  qui  ne  consument  sinon  que  1' argent. 
Et  toutesfois  les  anciens  preuoyans  le  malheur  qui 
en  pouuoit  arriuer,  ne  permettoient  ioiier  de  bon, 
ny  mesme  faire  aucune  gageure  sinon  aux  ieux 
honnestes,  comme  en  celuy  de  la  luicte,  du  palet, 
de  la  course,  &  autres  semblables  qui  se  font  auec 
I'exercice  du  corps.  lis  reprouuoient  totalement 
les  ieux  de  hazard,  qui  sont  auiourd'huy  si  or- 
dinaires  en  Europe,  que  les  grands  &  petit s,  les 
hommes  &  femmes  n'ont  poinct  de  plus  beau  passe 
temps  qu'a  ioiier  en  vn  coup  de  la  meilleure  partie 
de  leur  vaillant,  &  aucunefois  la  totalite.  Quelques 
vns  se  ruinent  k  faire  des  festins,  dont  la  super- 
fluity est  indifferemment  permise  k  toute  personne, 
encore  que  les  Romains  y  ayent  apporte  plusieurs 
reglemens,  en  limit  ant  la  despence  qu'on  debuoit 
faire  en  vn  banquet,  &  le  nombre  de  ceux  qui  pou- 
127  uoient  y  assister.  II  est  vray  que  ceste  police]  estoit 
mal  gardee,  comme  de  faict  il  semble  impossible 
de  I'obseruer,  pource  qu'on  n'ira  pas  au  logis  d'vn 
homme  pour  veoir  ce  qu'il  mange,  ou  pour  compter 
ses  compagnons  de  table.  Neantmoins  d'autant 
que  les  affaires  domestiques  principalement  les  ban- 
quets &  ieux  ne  sont  pas  si  occult es,  que  finalement 
ils  ne  viennent  en  euidence,  ce  seroit  le  debuoir 
d'vn  magistrat  d 'informer  contre  ces  manuals  mes- 
nages.  Car  qui  ne  iugeroit  digne  de  punition  la 
friandise  d'vn  homme,  qui  achepteroit  vn  mulct 
de   mer   quatre    cents    francs,    comme    fit   Asinius 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  202 

its  body  and  wealth:  in  which  they  are  worse  than 
the  gambHng  houses,  which  only  swallow  up  money. 
And  nevertheless  the  ancients  foreseeing  the  harm 
that  could  result  therefrom  did  not  permit  real 
playing,  nor  even  the  making  of  any  wager  except 
on  honest  games,  as  in  that  of  wrestling,  disk  throw- 
ing, running,  and  other  similar  ones  that  involve 
bodily  exercise.  They  reproved  entirely  the  games 
of  chance,  which  are  to-day  so  common  in  Europe 
that  the  great  and  little,  men  and  women,  have  no 
better  pastime  than  to  play  at  one  stroke  the  better 
part  of  their  fortune,  and  sometimes  the  totality. 
A  few  ruin  themselves  in  giving  feasts,  the  super- 
fluity of  which  is  indifferently  permitted  to  any 
person,  although  the  Romans  regulated  them  with 
a  number  of  rules,  by  limiting  the  amount  that 
might  be  spent  on  a  banquet,  and  the  number  of 
those  who  could  take  part  in  it.  It  is  true  that 
this  policy  was  badly  kept,  since  as  a  fact  it  seems 
impossible  to  observe  it;  because  one  does  not  go 
to  the  home  of  a  man  to  see  what  he  eats,  nor  to 
count  his  companions  at  table.  Nevertheless  in 
as  much  as  domestic  affairs  principally  the  ban- 
quets and  games  are  not  so  occult,  that  finally 
they  do  not  come  into  evidence,  it  should  be  the 
duty  of  a  magistrate  to  inform  against  those  bad 
households.  For  who  will  not  judge  worthy  of 
punishment  the  greediness  of  a  man,  who  bought  a 
sea  mullet  for  four  hundred  francs,  as  did  Asinius 


203  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

Celer?  Qui  n'auroit  honte  de  veoir  le  fils  d'vn  baste- 
leur  ^sope  aualer  en  vne  seule  verree  pour  cinquante 
mil  francs  de  perles,  apres  les  auoir  premierement 
fait  fondre  dans  le  vinaigre?  Qui  ne  detesteroit  la 
gourmandise  de  ce  vilain  Apicius,  qui  mangea  pres 
de  deux  millions  d'escus,  &  voyant  qu'il  ne  luy 
restoit  plus  que  cinq  cens  mille  francs,  s'empoisonna 
craignant  de  mourir  de  faim?  La  terre  deuroit  en- 
gloutir  ces  monstres  qui  abusent  ainsi  de  ses  richesses. 
128  Or  ce  seroit  peu  de  chose]  s'ils  ne  se  perdoient  qu'eux 
mesmes,  mais  nous  voyons  que  leur  mine  s'estend 
sur  leurs  creanciers,  ausquels  ils  font  ordinaire- 
ment  cession.  Car  ils  empruntent  de  tous  costez, 
&  trouuent  facilement  credit,  pour  1' opinion  qu'ils 
donnent  de  leur  opulence  &  liberalite:  puis  la  pau- 
urete  fille  de  luxe  entre  en  leur  maison  &  les  con- 
trainct  tout  a  coup  de  faire  banqueroute.  Telles 
gens  deuroient  estre  adiugez  comme  esclaures  k 
leurs  creanciers,  a  faute  de  payement  suiuant  la 
coustume  ancienne  qui  est  encore  pratiquee  en 
Ethiopie  &  aux  Indes.  On  ne  verroit  point  tant 
d 'affront eurs,  cessionnaires,  &  coquins.  Chacun  re- 
gleroit  mieux  sa  despense,  non  seulement  celle  de 
bouche,  mais  aussi  celles  des  habits,  dont  la  super- 
fluite  appauurit  pareillement  beaucoup  de  families. 
Pour  y  remedier  on  a  faict  des  Edicts  en  France,  mais 
sans  aucun  effect,  d'autant  que  les  officiers  de  ius- 
tice  n'oseroient  les  executer  a  I'encontre  des  grands, 
qui    les    premiers    y    contreuiennent,    au    mespris 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  204 

Celer?  Who  would  not  be  ashamed  to  see  the  son 
of  a  mountebank  ^sope  swallow  in  a  single  glass 
for  fifty  thousand  francs  of  pearls,  after  having 
first  had  them  melted  in  vinegar?  Who  would 
not  detest  the  gluttony  of  that  vile  Apicius,  who 
ate  nearly  two  millions  ecus,  and  seeing  that  there 
remained  to  him  only  five  hundred  thousand  francs, 
poisoned  himself  for  fear  of  dying  of  hunger?  The 
earth  should  swallow  up  these  monsters  who  thus 
abuse  of  its  riches.  Now  it  would  be  of  little  con- 
sequence if  they  only  destroyed  themselves,  but 
we  see  that  their  ruin  extends  to  their  creditors,  to 
whom  they  ordinarily  make  a  transfer.  For  they 
borrow  on  all  sides,  and  easily  find  credit,  on  ac- 
count of  the  good  opinion  that  they  give  of  their 
wealth  and  liberality:  then  poverty,  daughter  of 
luxury,  enters  their  house  and  forces  them  all  of 
a  sudden  into  bankruptcy.  Such  people  should 
be  adjudged  as  slaves  to  their  creditors,  for  failure 
to  make  payment  according  to  the  ancient  custom 
that  is  still  practiced  in  Ethiopia  and  in  the  Indies. 
One  will  not  see  so  many  insulters,  grantees,  and 
rascals.  Each  one  would  regulate  better  his  ex- 
penses, not  only  those  for  food  but  also  that  for 
clothes,  the  superfluity  of  which  impoverishes  many 
families.  In  order  to  remedy  this  edicts  have  been 
issued  in  France,  but  without  result,  since  the 
officers  of  justice  do  not  dare  to  enforce  them  in  the 
case  of  the  great,  who  the  first  disregard  them,  in 


205  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

du  Souuerain  qui  ne  deuroit  publier  aucunes  ordon- 

129  nances,  ou  les  faire  mieux  obseruer,]  &  commencer 
la  reformation  des  abus  par  ses  domestiques.  Car  il 
n'y  a  meilleur  moyen  de  ranger  le  peuple  que  celuy- 
Ik  puisque  naturellement  il  se  porte  k  contrefaire 
les  actions  de  la  Cour.  Que  les  Seigneurs  quittent 
le  satin  &  velours:  le  bourgeois  quittera  aussi-tost 
ces  estofifes,  sans  attendre  aucun  aduertissement : 
mais  tant  qu'il  verra  reluire  le  clinquant  d'or  & 
d' argent  sur  les  habits  des  nobles,  il  engagera  plus- 
tost  tout  son  bien,  qu'il  n'en  porte.  le  sgay  que 
plusieurs  peuples  ne  sont  pas  en  ce  danger:  aussi 
ce  n'est  pas  h  eux  a  qui  ie  m'addresse.  C'est  prin- 
cipalement  aux  peuples  de  par  dega  Francois,  Hes- 
pagnols,  Anglois,  qui  font  vertu  du  luxe,  &  esti- 
ment  vn  homme  mechanique  s'il  ne  porte  luy  & 
sa  femme  autant  en  or  &  pierreries,  comme  il  suffi- 
roit  pour  achepter  vne  prouince.  Si  la  censure  de 
laquelle  nous  parlerons  cy  apres,  estoit  restablie,  on 
auroit  vn  beau  subiect  de  s 'informer  de  la  vie  de 
ces  piaffeurs,  pour  scauoir  d'ou  leur  sont  venues  ces 
delices,  &  quel  moyen  ils  ont  de  les  entretenir:  mais 

130  I'exemple  du  Souuerain  est]  le  plus  court  chemin 
pour  remedier  h  tels  abus,  qui  sont  plus  pernicieux 
qu'on  ne  pense,  attendu  qu'ils  attirent  vne  corruption 
de  moeurs,  ou  pour  le  moins  ils  en  sont  les  indices. 
Car  vous  ne  voyez  gueres  d'hommes  qui  h  la 
mode  des  soldats  de  Cesar  puissent  bien  combatre 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  206 

contempt  of  the  sovereign,  who  should  not  publish 
any  ordinances,  or  cause  them  to  be  better  ob- 
served, and  begin  the  reformation  of  abuses  by  his 
servants.  For  there  is  no  better  way  to  make  the 
people  do  right  than  that  one,  since  naturally  they 
tend  to  imitate  the  doings  of  the  court.  If  the 
lords  leave  off  satin  and  velvet :  the  burgher  will  at 
once  cast  off  those  materials,  without  waiting  for 
any  notice:  but  so  long  as  he  shall  see  the  tinsel  of 
gold  and  silver  glitter  on  the  clothes  of  the  nobles, 
he  will  rather  mortgage  all  his  wealth,  than  not 
wear  them.  I  know  that  several  peoples  are  not 
in  this  danger :  also  it  is  not  to  them  that  I  address 
myself.  It  is  principally  to  the  peoples  on  this 
side  French,  Spaniards,  English,  who  make  of 
luxury  a  virtue,  and  consider  a  man  a  mechanic 
if  he  and  his  wife  do  not  wear  in  gold  and  precious 
stones,  as  much  as  would  suffice  to  buy  a  province. 
If  the  censure  of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter, 
was  re-established,  one  would  have  a  fine  chance  to 
inform  one's  self  about  the  lives  of  those  showers 
off;  to  know  whence  those  delights  came  to  them, 
and  what  means  they  have  to  keep  them  up:  but 
the  example  of  the  sovereign  is  the  shortest  way  to 
remedy  such  abuses,  which  are  more  pernicious 
than  one  thinks,  since  they  bring  about  a  corrup- 
tion of  morals,  or  at  least  they  are  signs  of  this. 
For  we  do  not  see  many  men  who  according  to 
the  custom  of  the  soldiers  of  Caesar  can  fight  well 


207  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

estant  parfumez,  ou  qui  comme  Aristippus,  soient 
incorruptibles  parmy  les  bombances  des  Bachanales. 
Ces  ornemens  du  corps  si  affectez  descouurent  vn  nat- 
urel  effemine,  &  peu  soigneux  des  actions  vertueuses. 
Aussi  voyons  nous  que  les  peuples  addonnez  au 
luxe  sont  plus  enclins  a  toutes  meschancetez,  & 
partant  il  le  faut  empescher  ou  punir  comme  vn 
vice  contagieux,  &  qui  en  amene  d'autres.  le  ne 
parleray  point  de  plusieurs  crimes  abominables, 
comme  de  magie,  adult  ere,  blaspheme,  &  atheisme, 
pource  qu'ils  sont  plus  cachez  &  plus  rares:  au 
demeurant  ils  les  faut  chastier  selon  les  coustumes 
du  pais.  le  ne  me  suis  arreste  qu'aux  vices  plus 
ordinaires  &  scandaleux,  dont  la  punition  est  sur 
tout  necessaire  pour  la  manutention  d'vn  est  at. 
Maintenant  il  faut  aduiser  a  la  reconpense  des 
merites,  qui  n'est  pas  moins  considerable.  La  peine 
131  &  le]  loyer  sont  les  deux  moyens  de  garder  vne 
Republique,  &  les  principaux  effects  de  la  iustice 
distributiue.  La  seuerite  des  supplices  empesche 
le  desbordement  des  meschancetez:  La  reconpense 
conuie  les  hommes  k  bien  faire.  Elle  est  deue  k 
ceux  qui  ont  faict  quelque  bon  office  au  Prince  ou  au 
public.  II  est  bien  raisonnable  qu'ils  soient  recog- 
neus,  &  ce  seroit  ingratitude  de  faire  autrement. 
Mais  aussi  il  ne  faut  pas  oublier  les  hommes  de  vertu, 
&  d'industrie,  puis  qu'ils  ont  des  qualitez  qui  les 
releuent  par  dessus  le  vulgaire  &  les  rendent  capables 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  208 

being  perfumed,  or  like  Aristippus,  are  incorrupti- 
ble among  the  good  cheer  of  the  Bacchanals.  These 
ornaments  of  the  body  so  much  sought  after  dis- 
close an  effeminate  nature,  and  one  caring  little 
for  virtuous  actions.  Therefore  do  we  see  that  the 
peoples  given  over  to  luxury  are  more  inclined  to 
all  wrong  doing,  and  therefore  it  must  be  stopped 
or  punished  like  a  contagious  vice,  and  one  which 
brings  others.  I  shall  not  speak  of  several  abom- 
inable crimes,  such  as  magic,  adultery,  blasphemy, 
and  atheism,  because  they  are  more  hidden  and 
more  rare:  after  all  they  must  be  punished  accord- 
ing to  the  customs  of  the  country.  I  have  halted 
only  to  consider  the  more  ordinary  and  scandalous 
vices,  the  punishment  of  which  is  especially  neces- 
sary for  the  maintenance  of  a  state.  Now  it  is 
necessary  to  take  advice  concerning  the  recom- 
pense of  merit,  which  is  not  less  important.  Pun- 
ishment and  salaries  are  the  two  means  to  main- 
tain a  Republic,  and  the  principal  effects  of  dis- 
tributive justice.  The  severity  of  punishments  pre- 
vents the  overflow  of  wrong  doings:  Recompense 
incites  men  to  do  well.  It  is  due  to  those  who  have 
done  some  good  deed  for  the  Prince  or  the  public. 
It  is  very  reasonable  that  they  should  be  recog- 
nized, and  it  would  be  ingratitude  to  do  otherwise. 
But  also  the  men  of  virtue  and  industry  must  not 
be  forgotten,  since  they  have  qualities  that  raise 
them   above   the   vulgar   and   make  them   capable 


209  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

de  mettre  k  execution  des  choses  grandes.  Or  il  y 
a  deux  sortes  de  reconpense,  k  sgauoir  profit,  & 
honneur,  encore  que  bien  souuent  elles  se  ren- 
contrent  ensemble,  comme  les  estats,  offices,  &  com- 
missions, qui  apportent  de  I'honneur  auec  vtilite. 
Vn  Monarque  doibt  distribuer  liberal ement  I'vn  & 
r  autre  aux  personnes  de  merit e,  ce  qu'il  ne  fait 
pas  souuent,  pour  la  difficulte  qu'on  a  de  I'aborder, 
si  bien  qu'il  ne  cognoist  que  ses  domestiques,  ou 
ceux  qui  luy  sont  recommandez  par  ses  fauorits, 
132  qui  font  des  amys  aiix  despens  du  Prince,]  &  le 
bloquent  de  telle  fagon  qu'on  ne  peut  auoir  accez  k 
luy,  que  par  leur  entremise.  Titus  disoit  qu'il  ne  fal- 
loit  pas  qu'vn  homme  sortit  mal  content  de  la  com- 
pagnie  d'vn  Prince.  Auiourd'huy  on  est  bien  en 
autres  termes:  car  auparauant  qu'on  parle  k  luy,  on 
a  subiect  de  s'attrister.  Certainement  vn  Roy  feroit 
tort  k  sa  maieste,  s'il  se  familiarisoit  indifferemment 
k  toutespersonnes :  mais  il  ne  se  doit  rendre  inac- 
cessible k  ceux  qui  luy  ont  faict  ou  peuuent  faire 
quelque  signale  seruice,  afin  qu'il  bailie  k  ceux  Ik  vn 
iuste  loyer,  &  k  ceux-cy  I'esperance  d'en  auoir  quand 
ils  I'auront  merite.  En  somme,  il  luy  importe  de 
cognoistre  luy  mesme  ses  subiects,  afin  qu'il  iuge 
ceux  qui  sont  propres  k  le  seruir,  &  qu'il  soit  aduerti 
de  beaucoup  de  choses  qui  luy  sont  celees  par 
ses  domestiques.  Ainsi  il  preuiendra  le  plus 
dangereux   mal   qui   soit   en   vn  estat,  k  sgauoir  le 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  210 

of  executing  great  things.  Now  there  are  two 
kinds  of  recompense,  to  wit,  profit  and  honor,  and 
very  often  they  are  found  together,  as  the  pOvSitions, 
offices,  and  commissions,  which  bring  honor  with 
utiHty.  A  monarch  must  distribute  Hberally  the 
one  and  the  other  to  persons  of  merit,  which  he  does 
not  often  do,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  one  has 
in  reaching  him,  so  much  so  that  he  knows  only 
his  servants,  or  those  who  are  recommended  to 
him  by  his  favorites,  who  make  friends  at  the  cost 
of  the  Prince,  and  block  him  in  such  a  way  that 
one  cannot  have  access  to  him,  except  by  their 
favor.  Titus  said  that  a  man  should  not  come 
forth  displeased  from  the  company  of  a  Prince. 
To-day  we  are  on  a  very  different  footing:  for 
before  one  can  speak  to  him,  there  is  cause  for 
sadness.  Certainly  a  King  would  do  wrong  to  his 
Majesty  if  he  became  indifferently  familiar  with 
all  persons:  but  he  must  not  render  himself  in- 
accessible to  those  who  have  rendered  him  or  may 
render  him  some  signal  service,  in  order  that  he 
may  grant  to  those  a  just  salary,  and  to  these 
the  hope  of  having  one  when  they  shall  have  de- 
served it.  On  the  whole,  it  is  important  for  him 
to  know  his  subjects  himself,  in  order  that  he  may 
judge  those  who  are  capable  of  serving  him,  and 
that  he  may  be  advised  of  many  things  that  are 
sealed  to  him  by  his  servants.  Thus  he  will  pre- 
vent most  dangerous  evil  that  there  is  in  a  State, 


211  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

mescontentement  qu'vn  homme  regoit  de  se  veoir 
recule  de  la  faueur  de  son  Prince,  de  laquelle  il  a  vne 
iuste  ialousie  pour  sa  qualite  ou  son  merite.  II  est 
bien  vray  que  les  faueurs  des  Roys  ne  se  peuuent 

133  partager  esjgallement :  aussi  ma  proposition  ne  tend 
pas  h,  limiter  leurs  affections  &  inclinations  natu- 
relles:  Seulement  ie  dis  qu'ils  ne  doiuent  fermer 
la  porte  de  leur  bienueillance  k  ceux  qui  en  sont 
dignes,  &  que  le  plus  qu'ils  peuuent  obliger  de  telles 
gens  c'est  le  meilleur,  attendu  que  la  pluralite  d'amis 
est  necessaire  a  vn  Monarque,  laquelle  il  ne  peut 
acquerir  ny  conseruer  sinon  par  vne  liberalite  hon- 
neste  &  conforme  h  la  condition  de  celuy  qui  la 
receura.  Et  afin  que  ses  dons  soient  bien  employ ez, 
d'autant  qu'il  ne  peut  cognoistre  tous  les  gens  de 
bien,  il  luy  est  expedient  d'auoir  h  la  fagon  des  an- 
ciens  Empereur,  vn  certain  Secretaire,  qui  I'aduer- 
tisse  de  ceux  qui  sont  capables  de  le  seruir  en  quel- 
que  charge,  ou  qui  s'en  sont  autresfois  bien  acquit- 
tez,  afin  qu'apres  auoir  este  bien  informe  de  leur 
suffisance,  il  leur  donne  de  I'aduis  de  son  conseil, 
les  bons  gouuernemens  ou  commissions  honorables. 
Mais  auiourd'huy  que  la  venalite  des  offices  est  par 
tout  introduicte,  on  a  beau  auoir  des  perfections; 
qui  n'a  de  1' argent  ne  paruiendra  iamais  aux  digni-] 

134  tez  publiquement.  C'est  vn  malheur  que  les 
guerres  ont  amene,  car  elles  ont  reduit  beau- 
coup  de  Princes  a  ceste  necessite,  de  mettre  en 
vente  ce  qui  appartenoit  a  la   vertu.     Les  guerres 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  212 

to  wit,  the  discontent  that  a  man  has  to  see  him- 
self repulsed  from  the  favor  of  his  Prince,  of  which 
he  has  a  just  jealousy  on  account  of  his  rank  or  his 
merit.  It  is  quite  true  that  the  favor  of  kings 
cannot  be  equally  divided:  so  my  proposition 
does  not  tend  to  Hmit  their  affections  and  natural 
inclinations:  Only  I  say  that  they  must  not  close 
the  door  of  their  good  will  to  those  who  are  worthy 
of  it,  and  that  the  more  they  can  oblige  such  people 
the  better,  since  a  plurality  of  friends  is  necessary 
to  a  monarch,  which  he  cannot  acquire  nor  con- 
serve except  by  an  honest  liberality  and  one 
suitable  to  the  condition  of  him  who  receives  it. 
And  to  the  end  that  his  gifts  may  be  well  placed, 
since  he  cannot  know  all  the  good  citizens,  it  is 
expedient  for  him  to  have  according  to  the  manner 
of  the  ancient  Emperors,  a  certain  Secretary,  who 
will  advise  him  of  those  who  are  able  to  serve  him 
in  some  position,  or  who  formerly  acquitted  them- 
selves well  of  it,  so  that  after  having  been  well 
informed  of  their  capability,  he  should  give  them 
by  the  advice  of  his  counsellor,  good  government 
positions  or  honorable  commissions.  But  since 
to-day  the  venality  of  office  is  every  where  intro- 
duced, one  may  have  all  the  perfections;  he  who 
has  no  money  will  never  arrive  to  the  public  dig- 
nities. This  is  an  evil  that  war  has  brought,  for  it 
has  reduced  many  Princes  to  the  necessity,  of  put- 
ting  up   for   sale   what  belonged  to   virtue.     War 


213  LE    NOVVEAV    CYN^E. 

cessantes,  ils  auront  assez  d'autres  expediens  plus 
legitimes  pour  le  fond  de  leurs  finances.  Ils  n 'auront 
que  faire  de  donner  des  pensions  aux  estrangers, 
d'entretenir  tant  de  garnisons  &  morte-payes,  &  les 
frais  superflus  estans  retranchez,  leur  maison  reglee, 
ils  n'auront  plus  subiect  de  vendre  les  estats,  ny 
permettre  le  trafic  des  gouuernemens  tant  spiri- 
tuels  que  temporels,  ny  des  offices  de  indicature, 
qui  est  la  source  de  tous  desordres:  occasion  pour- 
quoy  Alexandre  Seuere  protest oit  de  ne  point  en- 
durer  les  marchands  d'offices,  pource  qu'  vn  achep- 
teur  est  contrainct  de  vendre.  le  ne  mettray  point 
en  auant  ceste  question,  s'il  faut  que  les  estats  soient 
perpetuels  ou  non.  EUe  a  este  debattue  auec  des 
raisons  d'vne  part  &  d'autre,  ausquelles  ie  suis 
indifferent,  pourueu  qu'on  donne  les  dignitez  aux 
hommes  vertueux:  sans  auoir  esgard  aux  moyens 
ny  k  la  race,  lesquelles  choses  ne  sont  considerables, 
135  sinon]  quand  elles  sont  coniointes  auec  la  vertu, 
&  alors  elles  sont  dignes  de  quelque  prerogatiue. 
Les  Romains  entendoient  bien  cela  (ie  nomme 
souuent  ce  peuple,  pource  qu'il  nous  fournit  de 
tresbeaux  exemples  en  toute  sorte.)  lis  choisissoient 
pour  iuges  les  plus  riches  citoyens  par  la  Pompeia: 
outre  plus  ils  ne  donnoient  I'ordre  de  cheualerie 
sinon  k  celuy  qui  pour  le  moins  auoit  vaillant 
vingt  mil  francs,  &  pour  estre  Senateur  il  falloit 
auoir  vne  fois  autant.  lis  ne  vendoient  pas  en  ce 
faisant   les   offices,  &   si   ils   remedioient   aux   con- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  214 

ceasing,  they  will  have  enough  other  more  legiti- 
mate  expedients   for   the   base  of   their    finances. 
They  will  not  be  obliged  to  give  pensions  to  for- 
eigners, to  maintain  so  many  garrisons  and  lands  in 
mortmain,  and  the  superfluous  expenses  being  cut 
down,  their  house  put  in  order,  they  will  no  longer 
have  cause  to  sell  the  public  positions,  nor  permit 
the  traffic  of  the  governments  as  well  spiritual  as 
temporal,  nor   the   offices  of   the  judiciary,  which 
is   the   cause   of   all   disorders:    for   which   reason 
Alexander  Severus  protested  he  would  not  endure 
the  sellers  of  offices,  because  a  buyer  is  forced  to 
sell.     I  shall  not  bring  forward  the  question,  as  to 
whether  it  is  necessary  that  the  offices   shall  be 
perpetual  or  not.     It  has  been  debated  with  argu- 
ments for  and  against,  to  which  I  am  indifferent, 
provided  the  dignities  are  given  to  virtuous  men: 
without  having  respect  for  the  means  nor  the  race, 
which  things  are  not  of  importance  unless  they  are 
joined  with  virtue,   and  then  they  are  worthy  of 
some  prerogatives.     The  Romans  understood  that 
well  (I  often  name  that  people,  because  it  furnishes 
us  with  very  good  examples  of  every  kind).     They 
chose  for  judges  the  richest  citizens  by  the  Pom- 
peia:    besides  this  they  did  not  give  the  order  of 
knighthood  except  to  him  who  at  least  had  twenty 
thousand  francs,  and  to  be  Senator  it  was  neces- 
sary to  have  as  much  again.     They  did  not  sell  in 
so  doing  the  offices,  and  thus  they  guarded  against 


215  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

cussions  ausquelles  vn  pauure  se  laissera  plustost 
aller  qu'vn  riche.  La  noblesse  de  race  merite  aussi 
quelque  consideration,  &  est  k  presumer  que  le  fils 
d'vn  bon  pere  se  portera  heritier  de  ses  vertus,  &  ap- 
prehendera  le  blasme,  s'il  a  quelque  peu  de  sentiment. 
Partant  il  doit  estre  prefere  a  celuy  dont  les  ances- 
tres  sont  incongneus,  en  cas  qu'ils  concurrent  tous 
devix  en  capacite  &  preud'hommie.  Mais  il  faut 
que  la  vertu  aye  tousiours  le  dessus  en  matiere 
d'honneurs  &  recompenses:  autrement  les  affaires 
136  n'iront  iamais  bien.  Et  encore  qu'il]  semble  diffi- 
cile a  vn  Monarque  d'esconduire  vn  frere  ou  vne 
mere  qui  luy  present  era  quelqu'vn  pour  estre  pourueu 
de  quelque  charge  ou  benefice,  neantmoins  telles 
recommandations  ne  doiuent  auoir  lieu,  si  elles  ne 
sont  fondees  sur  le  merite  du  personnage  qui  est 
presente.  Que  si  d'auenture  il  ayme  quelques  par- 
ticuliers,  comme  il  arriue:  pour  le  moins  que  les 
dons  qu'il  leur  fera  ayent  quelque  proportion  a 
leur  qualite,  qu'ils  ne  passent  point  si  excessiue- 
ment  leur  merite,  que  sa  liberalite  ne  cause  point 
vn  mescontentement  de  ceux  dont  il  ne  doibt  mes- 
priser  le  seruice:  Qu'il  considere  qu'on  doit  s'ac- 
quitter  auant  que  donner,  &  qu'il  n'y  a  debte  plus  le- 
gitime que  la  recompense  de  la  vertu,  qui  gist  princi- 
palement  aux  dignitez  &  honneurs.  En  quoy  le  dit 
Empereur  Seuere  estoit  si  ceremonieux,  qu'il  decla- 
roit  par  affiches  publics  les  noms  de  ceux  qu'il  vouloit 
honorer  de  quelque  commission  ou  gouuernement, 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  216 

the  peculations  in  which  a  poor  man  is  more  likely 
to  indulge  than  a  rich  one.     The  nobility  of  race 
merits  also  some  consideration,  and  it  is  to  be  pre- 
sumed that  the  son  of  a  good  father  will  bear  him- 
self heir  of  his  virtues,  and  will  dread  blame,  if  he 
has   any   sentiment.     Therefore   he   must   be   pre- 
ferred to  him  whose  ancestors  are  unknown,  m  case 
they    are   both    equal   in    capacity  and  goodness. 
But  virtue  must  always  have  the  upper  hand  m 
matters  of  honor  and  recompense:  otherwise  affairs 
will  never  move  smoothly.     And  although  it  seems 
difficult  for  a  monarch  to  show  the  door  to  a  brother 
or  a  mother  who  presents  to  him  some  one  to  be 
provided  with  some  post  or  benefice,  nevertheless 
such  recommendations  must  not  take  place,  unless 
they  are  based  on  the  merit  of  the  personage  who 
is    presented.     That   if   perchance    he   likes    some 
individual,  as  happens:    at  least  the  gifts  that  he 
makes  them  should  have  some  proportion  to  their 
rank   that  he  surpasses  not  so  greatly  their  ment, 
that  his  liberality  causes  discontent  among  those 
whose  services  he  must  not  disdain:    Let  him  con- 
sider that  one  must  pay  as  well  as  give,  and  that 
there  is  no  debt  more  legitimate  than  the  reward- 
ing of   virtue,   which   lies   principally   in  dignities 
and  honors.     In  which  the  said  Emperor  Severus 
was  so  ceremonious,  that  he  announced  by  public 
posters  the  names  of    those  whom   he   wished  to 
honor  with  some  commission  or  governmental  office, 


217  LE    NOVVEAV    CYN^E. 

&  exhortoit  le  peuple  k  les  accuser  si  d'auen- 
ture  lis  se  trouuoient  reprehensibles,  a  condition 
toutesfois  que  le  calomniateur  seroit  puni  de  mort. 

137  II  auoit  apris  cela]  des  Atheniens  qui  examinoient 
la  vie  de  leurs  magistrats,  &  establissoient  pour 
cet  effect  certains  maistres  des  Comptes.  Quand 
done  on  aura  examine  les  meurs  d'vn  chacun,  on 
le  pouruoiera  selon  sa  capacite.  S'il  est  vaillant 
&  fort,  on  luy  baillera  des  gouuernemens  &  charges 
militaires:  S'il  est  prudent  &  politiqiie,  on  le  fera 
Conseiller  d' est  at:  s'il  est  entier  &  incorruptible 
on  le  fera  luge,  on  luy  baillera  le  maniement  des 
finances  s'il  est  exempt  d'auarice,  les  dignitez  Ec- 
clesiastiques,  s'il  est  pieux  &  deuot.  Ainsi  le  monde 
sera  content,  le  Prince  sera  serui  h  son  honneur  & 
au  profit  du  peuple,  qui  n'aura  point  occasion  de 
murmurer  voyant  vn  si  bel  ordre  en  I'estat,  &  la 
iustice  bien  administree.  Et  afin  que  le  Royaume 
soit  pourueu  non  seulement  de  gens  de  bien,  mais 
aussi  d'habiles  hommes,  il  faudra  exciter  1 'Industrie 
&  proposer  quelque  loyer  h  ceux  qui  excelleront 
es  arts  &  sciences.  Ceux  qui  mesprisent  les  gens 
d' esprit  &  de  sgauoir  sont  ou  barbares  ou  stupides, 
&  plusieurs  le  font  par  vn  despit  qu'ils  ont  d'auoir 
vn    esprit    grossier,    &    voudroient    que    tous    les 

138  hommes  fussent  ignorans,]  afin  que  leur  honte  fust 
cachee  par  la  multitude   de  leurs  semblables.     La 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  218 

and  he  urged  the  people  to  accuse  them  if  perchance 
they  were  unworthy,  on  condition  however  that 
the  slanderer  should  be  punished  with  death. 
He  had  learnt  that  from  the  Athenians  who 
examined  into  the  lives  of  their  magistrates,  and 
established  for  this  purpose  certain  masters  of  ac- 
counts. When  then  one  shall  have  examined  the 
habits  of  each  one,  one  will  provide  for  him  accord- 
ing to  his  capacity.  If  he  is  valiant  and  strong, 
one  will  grant  governments  and  military  charges: 
If  he  is  prudent  and  politic,  one  will  make  him  a 
Councillor  of  State:  if  he  is  whole  and  incorrupti- 
ble one  will  make  him  a  judge,  one  will  grant  him 
the  management  of  the  finances  if  he  is  ex- 
empt from  avarice,  ecclesiastical  dignities,  if  he 
is  pious  and  devout.  Thus  the  world  will  be  con- 
tent, the  Prince  will  be  served  with  honor  and 
profit  to  the  people,  who  will  have  no  occasion  to 
murmur  seeing  such  good  order  in  the  State,  and 
justice  well  administered.  And  to  the  end  that 
the  kingdom  be  supplied  not  only  with  people  of 
means,  but  also  with  skillful  men,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  arouse  industry  and  offer  some  reward  to 
those  who  excel  in  the  arts  and  sciences.  Those 
who  disdain  persons  of  thought  and  knowledge  are 
either  barbarous  or  stupid,  and  many  do  it  because 
they  are  vexed  that  they  have  a  coarse  mind,  and 
would  wish  that  all  men  were  ignorant,  so  that  their 
shame  might  be  hidden  by  the  multitude  of  their 


219  LE    NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

science  tient  le  premier  rang  d'honneur  apres  la  vertu. 
Encore  ie  n'entens  pas  icy  conprendre  soubs  le  nom 
de  vertu  ceste  vaillance  vulgaire,  dont  les  hommes 
font  tant  de  parade.  la  Dieu  ne  plaise  que  ie 
vueille  postposer  vne  perfection  diuine  a  vne  gene- 
rosite  brutale,  qui  n'a  que  le  masque  de  vertu, 
&  n'a  autre  fin  que  pillages  &  tueries.  Les  plus 
grands  Princes  ont  tousiours  respecte  les  doctes, 
&  leur  ont  donne  ou  offert  de  tresbeaux  appointe- 
mens.  Du  temps  de  I'Empereur  Commode,  les 
professeurs  de  Philosophic  auoient  par  an  six  cens 
escus  Romains,  qui  pouuoient  valloir  trois  mil 
francs  de  nostre  monnoye.  Sous  Marc  Aurele  les 
Rhetoriciens  auoient  dix  mille  drachmes:  (c'est 
plus  de  deux  mille  liures.)  Vespasien  leur  auoit 
auparauant  donne  cinq  mille  francs.  Mais  ce 
n'est  rien  a  comparaison  de  la  liberalite  de  Con- 
stance qui  donna  au  Rhetoricien  Eumenius  iusques 
k  trente  mil  liures  de  pension:  Et  ie  croy  que  le 
139  Roy  d' Angle terre]  n'en  eust  pas  moins  donne  k 
nostre  Budee,  si  le  Roy  Francois  n'eust  este  k  bon 
droict  ialoux  d'vn  personnage  si  excellent  en  la 
cognoissance  des  langues  Grecque  &  Latine.  Que 
diray  ie  de  Cesar,  Charlemagne,  &  infinis  autres  qui 
ont  voulu  eterniser  leur  nom  par  leurs  escrits,  aussi 
bien  que  par  leurs  exploicts  belliqueux  ?  Car  il  ne 
faut  pas  penser  que  la  science  abastardisse  le  coura- 
ge d'vn  homme,  ou  qu'elle  le  rende  inhabile 
aux    armes,     comme    les    Scythes    se    sont    autres 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  220 

fellows.  Science  holds  the  first  rank  of  honor 
after  virtue.  Again  I  do  not  here  mean  to  under- 
stand under  the  name  of  virtue  that  vulgar  courage 
of  which  men  make  such  parade.  God  forbid  that 
I  should  call  divine  perfection  a  brutal  generality, 
which  has  only  the  mask  of  virtue,  and  has  no  other 
ends  than  pillage  and  slaughter.  The  greatest 
Princes  have  always  respected  the  learned,  and 
have  given  or  offered  them  very  fine  appointments. 
In  the  time  of  the  Emperor  Commodus,  the  pro- 
fessors of  philosophy  had  six  hundred  Roman  ecus 
a  year,  which  might  be  worth  three  thousand 
francs  of  our  money.  Under  Marcus  Aurelius  the 
rhetoricians  had  ten  thousand  drachms:  (that  is 
more  than  two  thousand  livres).  Vespasian  had 
formerly  given  them  five  thousand  francs.  But 
it  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  liberality  of 
Constantius  who  gave  to  the  rhetorician  Eumenius 
up  to  thirty  thousand  livres  of  pension:  And  I 
believe  that  the  King  of  England  would  not  have 
given  less  to  our  Budee,  if  the  King  of  France  had 
not  been  rightfully  jealous  of  a  personage  excelling 
so  in  the  knowledge  of  the  Greek  and  Latin  tongues. 
What  shall  I  say  of  Caesar,  Charlemagne,  and  an 
infinity  of  others  who  wished  to  make  their  names 
eternal  by  their  writings,  as  well  as  by  their  belli- 
cose exploits?  For  it  must  not  be  supposed  that 
science  lessens  the  courage  of  a  man,  or  that  it 
renders  him  unskillful  in  arms,   as   the  Scythians 


221  LE    NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

fois  persuadez,  lesquels  apres  auoir  pris  Athenes 
vouloient  mettre  le  feu  a  toutes  les  bibliotheques 
qui  se  trouuoient  dedans  la  ville:  mais  vn  d'entre'ux 
les  empescha,  disant  qu'il  falloit  laisser  aux  Grecs 
leurs  liures,  afin  qu'en  s'amusant  h,  la  lecture  ils 
perdissent  leur  valeur,  &  deuinssent  plus  effeminez  & 
domptables.  Les  Goths  auoient  vne  mesme  opinion, 
qui  ne  vouloient  pas  que  leurs  Roys  fussent  instruicts 
aux  bonnes  lettres.  lis  ont  bien  opere  auec  ceste 
phantaise,  &  ont  appris  k  leurs  despens  que  les 
plus  ignorans  &  idiots  ne  sont  pas  les  plus  vaillans.] 
140  Ils  ont  este  batus  &  chassez  comme  vilains  de  tous 
leurs  pays  par  ceux  la  mesmes  qu'ils  auoient  en 
mespris.  Leur  regne  s'est  passe  si  legerement  & 
auec  si  peu  d' effect,  que  nous  n'en  voyons  presque 
auiourd'huy  rien,  sinon  les  marques  d'vne  barbaric. 
L'estat  des  Atheniens  &  Romains  a  este  bien  plus 
ferme,  qui  ont  conioinct  les  exercices  d'esprit  &  de 
corps:  aussi  il  n'y  cut  oncques  peuple  plus  vail- 
lant,  plus  heureux  &  plus  sage.  Mais  qu'est-il  be- 
soing  de  chercher  les  exemples  de  I'antiquite,  puis 
que  nous  voyons  en  ce  siecle  que  les  plus  guer- 
rieres  nations  de  1' Europe  font  estime  des  lettres  ? 
le  les  nommerois  si  ie  ne  craignois  de  scandaliser 
les  autres.  Or  iagoit  que  les  sciences  liber  ales  soient 
preferees  aux  mechaniques,  si  ne  faut-il  pourtant 
mespriser  celles-cy,  attendu  que  les  ouurages  de  main 
sont   necessaires   k  I'homme,    &    pour  ceste    cause 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  222 

formerly  persuaded  themselves,  who  after  cap- 
turing Athens  wished  to  set  fire  to  all  the  libraries 
which  were  within  the  city :  but  one  of  them  stopped 
them,  saying  that  they  ought  to  leave  to  the  Greeks 
their  books,  to  the  end  that  by  amusing  them- 
selves in  reading  they  should  lose  their  valor,  and 
become  more  effeminate  and  tamable.  The  Goths 
were  of  a  similar  opinion,  they  did  not  wish  that 
their  Kings  should  be  instructed  in  belles  lettres. 
They  tried  thoroughly  this  fantasy  and  learnt  to 
their  cost  that  the  most  ignorant  and  idiotic  are 
not  the  most  valiant.  They  were  defeated  and 
chased  like  serfs  from  all  their  lands  by  those  very 
ones  whom  they  held  in  contempt.  Their  rule 
passed  so  lightly  and  with  so  little  effect,  that  we 
see  scarcely  anything  of  it  to-day,  unless  the  marks 
of  a  barbarism.  The  State  of  the  Athenians  and 
Romans  was  much  more  firm,  which  joined  together 
the  exercises  of  the  mind  and  the  body:  therefore 
there  never  was  any  people  more  valiant,  more 
happy  and  more  wise.  But  what  need  is  there  to 
seek  for  the  examples  of  antiquity,  since  we  see  in 
this  century  that  the  most  warlike  nations  of  Eu- 
rope hold  letters  in  esteem?  I  would  name  them 
if  I  did  not  fear  to  scandalize  the  others.  Now 
I  believe  that  although  the  liberal  sciences  are 
preferable  to  mechanics,  yet  one  must  not  despise 
these  latter,  since  the  works  of  the  hand  are  neces- 
sary to  mankind,  and  for  this  cause  those  who  per- 


223  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

cetix  qui  s'en  acquittent  bien,  meritent  auoir  part 
aux  liberalitez  publiques.  Le  Roy  Mythridates 
ordonna  des  prix  aux  meilleurs  biberons.  Xerxes 
en    decerna     h    ceux    qui     inuenteroient    quelque 

141  nouuelle]  volupte.  Les  comediens  auoient  vn 
salaire  pour  donner  plaisir  au  peuple.  A  plus 
forte  raison  doit -on  recognoistre  les  artisans, 
principalement  les  autheurs  des  belles  inuentions: 
&  ne  faut  pas  faire  comme  Tibere  qui  fit  mourir 
celu}^  qui  auoit  trouue  la  fagon  de  rendre  le  verre 
malleable:  c'estoit  couper  le  chemin  a  I'industrie, 
&  imiter  aucunement  les  Ephesiens,  qui  ne  pou- 
uoient  souffrir  parmy  eux  vne  vertu  eminent e, 
occasion  pourquoy  Heraclite  disoit  qu'ils  meri- 
toient  tous  d'estre  pendus.  Qui  ne  iugera  dignes  de 
loyer  ceux  qui  ont  inuente  les  horloges  &  impri- 
merie  ?  Qui  ne  reuerera  la  memoire  de  ce  braue 
Neapolitain,  qui  depuis  quatre  cens  ans  a  trouue 
I'eguille  marine  ?  le  laisse  mille  autres  inuentions 
que  nous  n'aurions  pas,  si  les  autheurs  d'icelles  eus- 
sent  este  si  cruellement  traictez.  Certainement  il  im- 
porte  d'auoir  de  bons  ingenieux,  sur  tout  en  Tarchi- 
tecture,  orfeurie,  au  faict  de  la  nauigation,  des  forges, 
&  semblables  mestiers  dont  on  ne  se  peut  passer. 
Les  dons  d'vn  Monarque  ne  seront    pas  mal  em- 

142  ployez  en  cest  endroict.  Si  ces  reuejnus  ne  sont  bas- 
tans  pour  recompenser  tous  les  hommes  de  vertu  & 
d'industrie,  pour  le  moins  qu'il  contente  ceux  qui 
excelleront  en  ces  deux  qualitez,  bien  que  ce  luy 
soit  vne    excuse   honteuse    d'alleguer  sa   pauurete, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  224 

form  them  well,  merit  a  share  in  public  liberalities. 
King  Mithridates  ordered  prizes  for  the  best  drink- 
ers. Xerxes  awarded  prizes  to  those  who  invented 
some  new  voluptuousness.  The  comedians  had  a 
salary  for  giving  pleasure  to  the  people.  For  all 
the  more  reason  one  must  recognize  the  artisans, 
principally  the  authors  of  fine  inventions:  and 
must  not  do  like  Tiberius  who  put  to  death  the 
man  who  discovered  how  to  make  glass  malleable: 
that  was  blocking  the  path  of  industry,  and  imi- 
tate in  nowise  the  Ephesians,  who  could  not  suffer 
among  them  an  eminent  virtue,  for  which  reason 
Heraclitus  said  they  all  deserved  to  be  hung.  Who 
will  not  judge  worthy  of  a  salary  those  who  in- 
vented clocks  and  printing?  Who  will  not  revere 
the  memory  of  that  brave  Neapolitan,  who  four 
hundred  years  ago  discovered  the  mariner's  com- 
pass? I  leave  aside  a  thousand  other  inventions 
that  we  should  not  have,  if  their  authors  had  been 
so  cruelly  treated.  Certainly  it  is  of  importance 
to  have  smart  clever  people,  especially  in  archi- 
tecture, the  goldsmith's  work,  the  art  of  navi- 
gation, forging  and  similar  occupations  without 
which  one  cannot  get  along.  The  gifts  of  a  monarch 
will  not  be  badly  employed  in  this  direction.  If 
his  revenues  are  not  sufficient  to  reward  all  the 
men  of  virtue  and  industry,  at  least  let  him  con- 
tent those  who  excel  in  these  two  qualities,  even 
though  it  be  a  shameful  excuse  to  allege  his  pov- 


225  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

notamment  en  temps  de  paix,  auquel  il  faict  pen 
de  despence,  tellement  qu'il  a  dequoy  faire  ses  lar- 
gesses tant  k  ses  domestiques  qu'k  plusieurs  autres 
personnes  de  merit e.  Et  en  ceste  action  comme 
en  toutes  autres  la  prudence  luy  seruira  de  guide, 
afin  qu'il  aduise  les  moyens  qu'il  a  de  donner,  com- 
bien,  &  k  qui  il  donne.  II  ne  faut  pas  donner  in- 
differemment  a  tous  comme  Heliogabale,  qui  grati- 
fioit  des  rufiens  &  marquereaux.  II  faut  regler  sa 
liberalite  selon  sa  puissance,  de  peur  de  tomber 
en  vne  pauurete  &  misere,  comme  Caligule  &  Neron. 
Le  sage  Roy  comptera  premierement  auec  soy 
mesme,  &  apres  auoir  defalque  de  sa  recepte  ce  qui 
luy  est  necessaire  pour  I'entretenement  bonnes te 
de  sa  cour,  il  fera  ses  liberalitez  du  surplus,  en  les 
accommodant  a  la  condition  d'vn  chacun.  Donc- 
ques  quand  il  aura  recogneu  1 'Industrie  d'vn  homme, 
s'il  est  pauure,  il  luy  donnera  pension  conuenable: 
143  s'il  est  rijche  ou  noble,  il  le  recompensera  en  honneur. 
Car  c'est  le  plus  aggreable  guerdon  qu'on  puisse 
donner  k  telles  gens,  qui  estiment  plus  1' honneur 
que  tous  les  biens  du  monde.  Aussi  c'est  le  plus 
grand  esguillon  de  vertu  qu'on  sgauroit  imaginer. 
L'esperance  de  I'honneur  a  faict  iadis  tant  de  bons 
soldats  en  Grece  &  en  Italic.  Et  les  ieux  Olym- 
piques  furent  pour  cest  effect  instituez,  ou  le  vic- 
torieux  ne  remportoit  pour  le  pris  qu'vne  simple 
coronne  de  chesne.  Philippe  Macedonien  s'eston- 
noit  de  ce  que  les  Grecs  combattoient  pour  si  peu  de 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  226 

erty,  notably  in  times  of  peace,  during  which  he 
has  small  expenses,   so  much  so  that  he  has  the 
wherewithal  to  make  gifts  as  well  to  his  servants 
as  to  several  other  persons  of  merit.     In  this  action 
as  in  all  others  prudence  will  serve  him  as  guide, 
so  that  he  may  consider  how  he  may  give,  how  much, 
and   to   whom   he   gives.     One   must   not   give   in- 
differently to  all  like  Heliogabalus,   who  gratified 
ruffians  and  pimps.     One  must  regulate  one's  lib- 
erality according  to  one's  power,  for  fear  of  falling 
into  poverty  and  misery,  like  Cahgula  and  Nero. 
The  wise  King  will  first  count  by  himself,  and  after 
having  taken  from  the  receipts  what  he  needs  for 
the  honest  maintenance  of  his  court,  he  will  make 
his  largesses  from  the  surplus,  making  them  suit- 
able   to    the    condition    of    each    one.     Therefore, 
when  he  has  recognized  the  industry  of  a  man,  if 
he  is  poor,  he  will  give  him  a  suitable  pension,  if 
he  is  rich  or  noble,  he  will  recompense  him  in  hon- 
ors.    For   this  is  the   most   agreeable   recompense 
that  one  can  give  to  such  people,  who  esteem  honor 
more  than  all  the  wealth  of  the  world.     Also  it  is 
the  greatest  spur  of  virtue  that  one  could  imagine. 
The  hope  of  honor  made  formerly  so  many  good 
soldiers   in   Greece   and   Italy.     And   the   Olympic 
games  were  instituted  for  this  purpose,  where  the 
victor  carried  off  as  a  prize  only  a  simple  crown  of 
oak    leaves.     Philip    of    Macedon    was    astonished 
that  the  Greeks  would  struggle  for  so  small  a  thing, 


227  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

chose,  mais  il  ne  regardoit  pas  k  I'honneur 
inestimable  qu'ils  receuoient  d'autant  qu'ils  es- 
toient  louez  solemnellement,  &  puis  ramenez  en 
leurs  pays  en  bonne  compagnie  auec  applaudis- 
sement  &  chants  d'allegresse,  outre  les  statues  au 
vif  qu'on  leur  dressoit.  A  Rome  le  triomphe  es- 
toit  ordonne  pour  mesme  fin  aux  Generaux  d'armees 
qui  auoient  remporte  vne  signalee  victoire.  Et 
sans  doute  I'esperance  de  ceste  gloire  leur  faisoit 
mespriser  leur  propre  vie,  &  I'employer  librement 
pour  le  seruice  de  la  Republique.  Que  ne  feroit 
144  vn  homme  pour]  entrer  si  pompeusement  en  sa 
ville?  Que  n'entreprendroit-il  pour  auoir  I'hon- 
neur de  donner  I'espee  &  I'ordre  de  cheualerie  a 
vn  Roy,  comme  fit  le  Capitaine  Bayard?  Et  pour 
parler  des  autres  vacations  paisibles,  combien  ver- 
rions-nous  d'orateurs  s'ils  gouuernoient  le  peuple 
comme  iadis  Damosthene  &  Ciceron?  Combien  de 
poetes,  s'ils  receuoient  vne  coronne  de  la  main 
d'vn  Empereur,  comme  il  se  pratiquoit  es  concerts 
de  poesie  qui  se  faisoient  au  mont  d'Alba?  C'es- 
toit  honneur  sans  profit,  neantmoins  il  y  auoit 
presse  k  qui  I'emporteroit.  Ce  qui  a  esmeu  plus- 
ieurs  Princes  de  1' Europe  d'instituer  des  Cheualiers, 
obligeans  par  ceste  inuention  sans  rien  desbourser 
les  plus  grands  de  leur  Monarchic.  Car  le  nom  de 
Cheualier  n'estant  qu'vn  tiltre  specieux  enflamme 
toutesfois  d'vn  beau  desir,  vn  homme  genereux, 
voyant    qu'il   est    confrere    &    compagnon   de   son 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  228 

but  he  did  not  take  note  of  the  inestimable  honor 
that  they  received,  since  they  were  solemnly  praised, 
and  then  taken  back  to  their  country  in  good 
company  with  applause  and  songs  of  joy,  besides 
the  statues  that  were  erected  to  them  during  their 
life  time.  At  Rome  a  triumph  was  ordered  for 
the  same  purpose  for  the  army  generals  who  had 
gained  a  signal  victory.  And  no  doubt  the  hope  of 
this  glory  caused  them  to  disdain  their  own  life, 
and  to  employ  it  liberally  for  the  service  of  the 
Republic.  What  would  not  a  man  do  to  enter  so 
pompously  into  his  city?  What  would  he  not  un- 
dertake to  have  the  honor  of  giving  the  sword  and 
the  order  of  knighthood  to  a  king,  as  Captain 
Bayard  did?  And  to  speak  of  other  peaceful 
vocations,  how  many  orators  would  we  see  if  they 
governed  the  people  as  formerly  Demosthenes  and 
Cicero  did?  How  many  poets,  if  they  received  a 
crown  from  the  hands  of  an  Emperor^  as  was  prac- 
ticed in  the  concerts  of  poetry  that  were  held  on 
the  Alban  mount?  It  was  honor  without  profit, 
nevertheless  there  was  a  number  trying  as  to  who 
should  carry  it  off.  Which  induced  several  Euro- 
pean Princes  to  create  knights,  rewarding  by  this 
invention,  without  paying  out  anything,  the  most 
noble  of  their  monarchy.  For  the  name  of  knight 
being  but  a  specious  title  excites  nevertheless 
great  desire  in  a  generous  man,  seeing  that  he  is 
fellow  member  and  companion  of  his  King.     There 


229  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Roy.  II  y  a  d'autres  honneurs  de  moindre 
esclat,  comme  la  dignite  de  Conseiller  d'estat,  les 
priuileges,  les  exemptions  de  tallies  &  autres  charges 

145  que  le  Prince  pent  donner  sans  grande  dijminu- 
tion  de  ses  thresors.  Les  Empereurs  qui  faisoient 
estat  de  subiuguer  tout  le  monde  recompensoient 
bien  leurs  seruiteurs  aux  despens  des  prouinces 
assubiecties.  Car  ils  en  chassoient  les  anciens 
possesseurs,  &  en  adiugeoient  les  plus  belles  terres 
k  leurs  Capitaines  &  soldats,  afin  de  les  contenter 
&  obliger  a  leur  rendre  du  seruice  en  cas  de  neces- 
site.  De  \h  vient  comme  ie  croy  I'origine  des  fiefs, 
qui  ne  sont  autres  choses  que  certaines  terres  as- 
signees k  quelqu'vn  en  recognoissance  de  son  merite, 
k  la  charge  neantmoins  de  respecter  le  donateur, 
&  de  I'assister  en  temps  de  guerre.  Telles  libera- 
litez  n'estoient  que  viageres  iusques  k  TEmpereur 
Alexandre,  qui  les  rendit  heredit aires  en  faueur 
des  enfans  des  gensd'armes  qui  viuroient  noble- 
ment,  ne  plus  ne  moins  que  les  Duchez  &  sembla- 
bles  dignitez,  qui  soubs  la  premiere  race  de  nos 
Roys  estoient  temporelles,  ont  este  finalement  per- 
petuees  &  rendues  patrimoniales  par  la  permission 
ou  conniuence  de  ceux  qui  ont  depuis  regne.  Le 
grand  seigneur  a  retenu  I'ancienne  coustume  des  fiefs, 

146  car  il  ne]  donne  ses  Timars  qu'a  vie.  Ce  sont  pays 
de  conqueste  qu'il  distribue  k  la  mode  Romaine  a  ses 
plus  affidez  &  vaillans  soldats,  k  condition  de  le  seruir 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  230 


are  other  honors  of  less  distinction,  like  the  dig- 
nity of  State  Councillor,  the  privileges,  the  exemp- 
tions of  taxes  and  other  charges  that  the  Prince 
can  give  without  great  diminution  of  his  treasures. 
The  Emperors  who  made  a  business  of  subjugating 
all  the  world  recompensed  well  their  servants  at 
the  expense  of  the  conquered  provinces.     For  they 
expelled  from  them  the  former  owners,  and  gave 
the  finest  lands  to  their  captains  and  soldiers,  in 
order  to  content  them  and  oblige  them  to  render 
them    service    in    case    of    necessity.     From    that 
comes,  as  I  believe,  the  origin  of  fiefs,  which  are 
nothing  else  than  certain  lands  assigned  to  some 
one  in  recognition  of  his  merit,  with  the  condition 
nevertheless  of  respecting  the  donor,  and  of  assist- 
ing  him   in   time   of   war.     Such   liberalities   were 
only  for  life  down  to  the  Emperor  Alexander,  who 
made  them  hereditary  in  favor  of  the  children  of 
the  men  at  arms  who  lived  as  nobles,  nor  more  nor 
less  than  the  Dukedoms,   similar  dignities,   which 
under  the  first  dynasty   of  our  Kings  were  tem- 
poral,  and  were   made   finally   perpetual   and  be- 
came patrimonial  by  the  permission  or  connivance 
of  those  who  have  since  reigned.     The  Great  Lord 
has  retained  the  ancient  custom  of  the  fiefs,   for 
he  only  gives  his  Timars  for  life.     They  are  con- 
quered   lands    that    he    distributes    according    to 
Roman  custom  to  his   most  faithful   and  vahant 
soldiers,    on   condition   of   serving  him  in  case  of 


231  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

au  besoing  h  leurs  propres  despens.  Et  on  tient 
qu'en  la  guerre  de  Perse  il  y  a  quarante  ans,  il 
conquist  tant  de  pays,  qu'il  en  fit  quatre  mille 
Timars.  Mais  auiourd'huy  que  les  conquestes  sem- 
blent  auoir  pris  fin,  qui  est  vn  aduertissement  tacite 
aux  Princes  d' entendre  k  vne  paix  generale,  &  se 
content er  de  leur  fortune,  il  est  necessaire  de  trouuer 
autres  moyens  de  liberalite  publique.  Nous  les 
auons  desia  succinct ement  representez,  &  entr' 
autres  auons  parle  en  passant  des  benefices  Ecclesi- 
astiques,  moyen  particulier  aux  Princes  Chrestiens 
pour  exercer  leur  magnificence,  sans  preiudicier  k 
leur  domaine.  Aussi  ils  ont  accoustume  d'en  grati- 
fier  leurs  bons  seruiteurs  &  vassaux.  Mesmes  les 
Roys  de  France  donnoient  iadis  les  Abbayes  a  leurs 
Princes  &  Gentils-hommes  qualifiez,  qui  non  seule- 
ment  ioiiissoient  du  reuenu  de  tels  benefices,  comme 
147  ils  font  auiour]d'huy,  mais  aussi  en  portoient  le 
tiltre  &  ne  faisoient  aucun  scrupule  de  se  nommer 
Abbez,  encore  qu'ils  fussent  laiques  &  hommes 
d'espee.  Ce  qui  a  este  pratique  depuis  le  regne 
de  Charles  le  Chauue  iusques  a  celuy  de  Robert. 
Veritablement  les  biens  de  I'Eglise  sont  grands,  & 
qui  pis  est,  trop  inegallement  distribuez:  car  quel- 
ques-vns  en  ont  plus  que  leur  condition  ne  requiert : 
d' autres  n'en  ont  pas  assez,  &  plusieurs  n'y  ont 
aucune  part,  encore  qu'ils  en  soient  tres-dignes. 
C'est  abus  s'est  coule  de  longue  main,  &  ne  pent  estre 
ost6  tout  h  coup,  non  plus  que  beaucoup  d' autres 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  232 

need  at  their  own  expense.  And  it  is  said  that  in 
the  Persian  war  forty  years  ago,  he  conquered  so 
much  land,  that  he  made  of  it  four  thousand  Timars. 
But  to-day  that  conquests  seem  to  have  come  to 
an  end,  which  is  a  tacit  appeal  to  the  Princes  to 
agree  to  a  general  peace,  and  be  content  with  their 
fortune,  it  is  necessary  to  find  other  means  for 
public  liberality.  We  have  already  succinctly  pre- 
sented them,  and  among  others  have  spoken  in 
passing  of  the  ecclesiastical  benefices,  a  method 
especially  belonging  to  Christian  Princes,  through 
which  to  exercise  their  munificence,  without  preju- 
dice to  their  domain.  And  they  are  in  the  habit  of 
thus  gratifying  their  good  servants  and  vassals. 
Even  the  Kings  of  France  gave  formerly  the  abbeys 
to  their  Princes  and  qualified  gentlemen,  who 
not  only  enjoyed  the  revenue  of  such  benefices, 
as  they  do  to-day,  but  also  bore  the  title  and  made 
no  scruple  to  name  themselves  Abbe,  even  though 
they  were  laymen  and  men  of  the  sword.  Which 
has  been  practised  since  the  reign  of  Charles 
the  Bald  until  that  of  Robert.  Truly  the  wealth 
of  the  church  is  large,  and  what  is  worse,  too 
unequally  distributed:  for  some  have  more  than 
their  condition  requires:  others  have  not  enough, 
and  many  have  no  part  in  it,  although  they 
are  very  worth}^  of  it.  This  abuse  has  arisen 
gradually,  and  cannot  be  stopped  all  at  once, 
no  more  than  many   other   diseases  of  the  State. 


233  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

maladies  d'estat.  II  est  done  expedient  de  laisser 
le  monde  comme  il  est,  &  permettre  aux  benefi- 
ciers  de  iouyr  paisiblement  des  biens  dont  ils  sont 
en  possession.  Mais  puis  qu'ils  n'en  sont  qu'vsu- 
fruictiers,  on  pent  sans  les  offenser  apres  leur  mort 
apporter  vn  reglement  qui  remedie  a  vn  tel  de- 
sordre.     Est-il  raisonnable  qu'vn  seul  homme  aye 

148  vn  benefice  qui  pourjroit  suffire  a  quatre  ou  cinq 
personnes  de  pareille  qualitie?  Encore  ne  se  con- 
tente-il  pas  s'il  a  vn  riche  Euesche,  s'il  n'adiouste 
le  reuenu  de  plusieurs  Priorez  &  Abbayes:  cepen- 
dant  il  y  a  vne  infinite  de  braues  Gentilshommes, 
soldats,  &  autres  de  diuerses  vacations  qui  lan- 
guissent  sous  le  faix  d'vne  miserable  pauurete, 
ausquels  le  Prince  pourroit  donner  appointement 
honneste,  si  les  benefices  estoient  distribuez  comme 
il  appartient,  &  s'ils  n'estoient  occupez  par  vn  petit 
nombre  de  personnes.  Part  ant  il  seroit  besoing 
en  cecy,  d'vne  double  police.  La  premiere  seroit 
de  limiter  le  reuenu  de  chaque  Euesche,  Abbaye, 
Priore,  Cure,  &  apres  auoir  examine  les  charges  & 
profits  desdits  benefices,  assigner  aux  titulaires 
autant  de  terres  ou  rentes  qu'on  iugeroit  sufiire 
pour  les  entretenir  honnestement,  ay  ant  esgard  a 
leur  qualite,  tant  pour  ce  qui  concerne  I'entretene- 
ment  de  seruice  diuin,  que  pour  ce  qui  regarde  les 
autres    menus    frais    qu'iceux    ont    accoustume    de 

149  supporter.  Et  du  surplus  on  en  accommojderoit  les 
personnages  de  merite  notamment  ceux  qui  auroient 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  234 

It  is  expedient  then  to  leave  the  world  as  it  is, 
and  pennit  the  beneficiaries  to  enjoy  peacefully 
the  wealth  that  they  possess.  But  since  they  are 
only  the  users  of  these  things,  one  can  without 
offending  them  after  their  death  bring  a  regu- 
lation which  remedies  such  disorder.  Is  it  reason- 
able that  a  single  man  should  have  a  benefice  that 
might  suffice  to  four  or  five  persons  of  similar 
quality?  Besides  he  is  not  content  if  he  has  a  rich 
Bishopric,  if  he  does  not  add  the  revenue  of  several 
Priories  and  Abbeys:  nevertheless  there  is  an 
infinity  of  brave  Gentlemen,  soldiers,  and  others 
of  various  professions  who  languish  under  the 
burden  of  a  miserable  poverty,  to  whom  the  Prince 
could  give  honest  appointments,  if  the  benefices 
were  distributed  as  they  should  be,  and  if  they 
were  not  occupied  by  a  small  number  of  persons. 
Therefore  there  would  be  need  in  this,  of  a  double 
policy.  The  first  will  be  to  limit  the  revenue  of 
each  Bishopric,  Abbey,  Priory,  Parsonage,  and 
after  having  examined  the  charges  and  profits 
of  the  said  benefices,  assign  to  the  titulars  as  much 
land  or  rents  as  shall  be  judged  sufftcient  to  sup- 
port them  honestly,  having  regard  for  their  rank, 
as  much  for  what  concerns  the  maintenance  of 
divine  service,  as  for  what  regards  the  other  small 
charges  that  these  are  accustomed  to  bear.  And 
from  the  surplus  one  could  accommodate  the  per- 
sonages  of   merit   notably   those   who   had   served 


235-  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

serui  le  Roy  ou  le  public  &  n'auroient  este  aucune- 
ment  ou  bien  peu  recompensez.  Pour  le  second 
reglement,  il  faudroit  deffendre  k  tous  de  tenir 
deux  benefices,  sinon  en  cas  que  la  modicite  du 
reuenu  d'iceux,  &  la  qualite  des  personnes  fus- 
sent  considerables.  Quelle  apparence  y  a-il  de 
voir  vn  petit  compagnon  pourueu  de  plusieurs  bene- 
fices, qu'il  a  brigue,  couru,  troque,  mendie  impor- 
tunement,  ou  acquis  par  moyens  peu  loiiables  & 
legitimes.  Les  grands  reuenus  amenent  1' ambition 
&  le  luxe,  vices  detestables  en  vn  Ecclesiastique, 
qui  doit  embrasser  la  simplicity  &  modestie.  II 
ne  luy  faut  point  entretenir  des  leuriers  ny  oyseaux 
de  proye.  Ce  n'est  pas  son  mestier  que  d'estre 
chasseur.  II  n'a  que  faire  d'escuries,  pour  les  rem- 
plir  de  barbes,  hongres,  &  genets  d'Hespagne,  puis 
qu'il  ne  fait  profession  des  armes.  Qu'il  se  con- 
tente  d'vn  reuenu  sortable  a  sa  condition:  il  ne  se 
peut  plaindre  si  on  luy  retranche  ses  superfluitez, 
pour  les  appliquer  a  vn  oeuure  si  charitable,  & 
150  vtile  a  s§a]uoir  la  nourriture  de  ses  pauures  compa- 
triot es,  recommandables  pour  quelques  bons  offices, 
afin  qu'k  leur  exemple  tous  les  autres  soient  encou- 
ragez  k  bien  faire,  le  peuple  soulage  de  beaucoup 
d 'impositions  que  le  Prince  est  contrainct  de  leuer, 
pour  subuenir  k  la  necessite  de  ses  affaires,  &  rem- 
plir  les  places  des  coffres,  qu'il  vuide  tous  les  iours  par 
faute  d'vne  telle  police.  Quelques  vns  trouueront 
estrange  d'oster  aux  gens  d'Eglise,  pour  donner  aux 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  236 

the  King  or  the  public  and  who  had  not  been  in 
any  way  or  but  very  little  recompensed.  For  the 
second  regulation,  it  would  be  necessary  to  forbid 
every  one  to  hold  two  benefices,  except  in  the  case 
that  their  revenue  was  moderate  and  the  rank  of 
the  persons  was  exalted.  What  a  sight  it  is  to  be- 
hold some  insignificant  individual  provided  with 
several  benefices,  which  he  has  solicited,  hunted, 
bartered,  begged  for  importunately,  or  acquired 
by  means  scarcely  commendable  and  legitimate. 
Big  revenues  bring  ambition  and  luxury,  de- 
testable vices  in  a  churchman,  who  should 
embrace  simplicity  and  modesty.  He  need  not 
keep  greyhounds  nor  falcons.  It  is  not  his  busi- 
ness to  be  a  hunter.  He  has  no  need  of  stables, 
to  fill  with  barbs,  geldings,  and  Spanish  jennets, 
since  he  does  not  make  a  profession  of  arms.  Let 
him  content  himself  with  a  revenue  suitable  with 
his  position:  he  cannot  complain  if  his  super- 
fluities are  cut  off,  to  apply  them  to  so  charitable 
and  useful  an  act,  to  wit,  the  feeding  of  his  poor 
compatriots,  suited  for  some  good  places,  so  that 
by  their  example  all  the  others  may  be  encouraged 
to  do  well,  the  people  relieved  from  many  taxes 
that  the  Prince  is  forced  to  raise,  in  order  to  defray 
his  necessary  expenses,  and  fill  the  empty  spaces  in 
the  coffers,  which  he  empties  every  day  by  lack  of 
such  a  policy.  Some  will  find  it  strange  to  take  away 
from  the  churchmen,  in  order  to  give  to  the  lay- 


237  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

laiques.  le  ne  le  conseillerois  pas,  si  ceux-cy  n'en 
auoient  aucun  besoing,  ou  si  ceux-lk  n'abusoient 
point  de  leurs  richesses.  Mais  on  voit  le  iuste  mes- 
contentement  des  vns,  &  les  delices  excessiues  des 
autres.  Et  encore  que  ie  n'approuue  point  I'egal- 
ite  des  proprietez  receue  anciennement  en  Lace- 
demone  &  a  Rome,  il  me  semble  pourtant  indigne 
de  voir  les  benefices  si  mal  departis,  qui  ont  este 
fondez  &  enrichis  par  la  liberalite  des  gens  de  bien 
pour  I'entretenement  des  Prestres  &  des  pauures. 
A  ceste  cause  les  terres  8c  rentes  qui  en  dependent 
151  doiuent  estre  affectees  a  ces  deux  sorjtes  d'hommes. 
Or  est-il  qu'entre  les  pauures  ceux-la  principalement 
sont  dignes  de  compassion,  qui  ont  oblige  le  public 
par  quelque  action  notable,  de  laquelle  ils  n'ont  receu 
aucun  guerdon.  Quand  doncques  ils  se  presenteront 
au  Prince,  il  les  pourra  recompenser  en  pratiquant  ce 
que  dessus:  &  neantmoins  examinera  auparauant 
leurs  merites  auec  ses  meilleurs  conseillers,  afin  de  se 
depestrer  de  plusieurs  importuns,  qui  sous  pretexte 
de  quelque  cognoissance  qu'ils  ont  en  Cour,  pour- 
chassent  des  appointemens  dont  ils  sont  indignes. 
C'est  bien  faict  d'ouyr  les  humbles  supplications  de 
ses  subiects,  de  receuoir  leurs  requestes,  mais  auant 
que  de  les  signer,  il  est  bien-seant  de  les  communi- 
quer  k  son  conseil :  autrement  les  impudens  emport- 
eront  les  loyers  de  la  vertu,  &  abusans  de  la  facility 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS. 


238 


men.    I  would  not  counsel  this,  if  these  latter  had  no 
need  of  it,  or  if  the  former  did  not  abuse  their  wealth. 
But  one  sees  the  just  discontent  of  the  ones,  and  the 
excessive   delights   of   the   others.      And   although 
I  do  not  approve  the  equality  of  properties  in  force 
in  olden  times  in  Lacedemonia  and  at  Rome,   it 
seems  to  me  nevertheless  wrongful  to  see  the  bene- 
fices  so   badly   divided,   which  were  founded   and 
enriched  by  the  liberality  of  the  good  people  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  priests  and  the  poor.     To 
this  end  the  lands  and  rents  which  depend  from 
them,    come   from   this   quarter,    must   be  handed 
over  to  those  two   classes   of  men.     Now   among 
the  poor  those  are  chiefly  worthy   of   compassion 
who  have  benefited  the   pubHc   by   some   notable 
action,  from  which  they  have  received  no  recom- 
pense.    When  then,  they  shall  present  themselves 
to  the  Prince,  he  can  recompense  them  in  practicing 
what     is     said     above:      and     nevertheless     will 
examine    beforehand    their    merits    with    his    best 
counsellors,   in   order   to   get   rid   of   certain  trou- 
blesome   persons,    who    under    pretext    of    some 
acquaintance   that   they   have   in   court,   hunt   for 
appointments   of   which   they    are   unworthy.       It 
is  well  enough  to  listen  to  the  humble  supplica- 
tions of  his  subjects,  to  receive  their  requests,  but 
before  signing  them,  it  is  fitting  to  communicate 
-them  to  his  council:   otherwise  the  impudent  would 
carry  off  the  rewards  of  virtue,  and  abusing  of  the 


239  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

du  Prince,  mendieront  ses  faueurs  par  personnes 
interposees:  qui  sont  grandement  reprehensibles,  de 
recommander  des  gens  de  paille :  mais  ils  font  encore 
vn   autre   mal.     C'est   qu'ils  attirent  h  eux  toute 

152  la  grace]  du  bienfaict  &  liberalite  du  Prince.  A 
quoy  il  pourra  remedier,  s'il  faict  despescher  en 
sa  presence  celuy  lequel  il  veut  gratifier,  &  aussi 
s'il  le  renuoye,  comme  i'ay  diet,  k  son  con- 
seil.  On  n'osera  pas  luy  presenter  des  request es 
inciuiles,  quand  on  verra  qu'il  n'accordera  rien  k  la 
legere,  &  qu'il  ne  fera  rien  que  de  I'aduis  de  ses  bons 
officiers.  Et  pour  mieux  se  comporter  en  cecy, 
deux  registres  luy  sont  necessaires.  L'vn  qui  soit 
I'abrege  de  ses  finances,  &  de  sa  despence  ordinaire. 
L 'autre  qui  continenne  la  liste  de  ses  officiers  & 
domestiques  auec  les  appointemens  &  dons  qu'ils 
ont  obtenu,  eux  &  leurs  parens.  Le  premier  re- 
gistre  luy  fera  voir  ce  qu'il  peut  donner.  Dans  le 
second  il  cognoistra  ceux  qui  sont  desia  recompensez 
en  offices,  ou  en  argent,  &  les  renuoyera  doucement, 
lors  qu'ils  luy  demanderont  quelque  nouueau  don, 
afin  qu'il  fasse  part  de  ses  faueurs  k  ceux  qui  n'ont 
point  encore  este  pourueus.  Les  Roys  de  Perse 
auoient  vn  tel  regis tre:  tesmoing  Assuerus,  lequel 
I'ay  ant  fueillete,  &  voyant  qu'il  n'auoit  point  re- 

153  cogneu  le  signale  seruice  de  Mardojchee  le  combla 
de  bienfaict  &  d'honneur,  autant  qu'vn  homme 
pouuoit  souhaitter.    Car  le  Monarque  oublie  souuen- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  240 

easiness  of  the  Prince,   would  beg  his  favors  by 
intermediary    persons:     who    are    most    reprehen- 
sible for  recommending  people  of  straw:    but  they 
cause  also  another  evil.     It  is  that  they  draw  to 
themselves  all  the  grace  of   the    good   deeds  and 
liberality  of  the  Prince.     To  which  he  can  remedy, 
if  he  has  sent  into  his  presence  him  whom  he  wishes 
to  gratify,  and  also  if  he  sends  him,  as  I  have  said, 
to  his  council.     One  will  not  dare  present  to  him 
improper  requests,  when  it  is  seen  that  he  will  grant 
nothing  offhand,  and  that  he  will  do  nothing  with- 
out the  advice  of  his  good  officers.    And  the  better 
to  bear  himself  in  this,  two  registers  are  necessary 
for  him.     One  that  is  the  abstract  of  his  finances, 
and  of  his   ordinary   expenses.     The   other  which 
contains  the  list  of  his  officers  and  servants  with 
the  remunerations   and   gifts   that   they  have   ob- 
tained, they  and  their  relations.     The  first  register 
will  show  him  what  he  can  give.     In  the  second 
he  will  know  those  who  are  already  rewarded  in 
offices,  or  in  money,  and  he  will  quietly  send  them 
off,  when  they  shall  ask  him  for  a  new  gift,  so  that 
he  may  give  a  part  of  his  favors  to  those  who  have 
not  yet  been  provided  for.     The  Kings  of  Persia 
had   such   a   register:     as   witness   Assuerus,    who, 
having  looked  it  over,  and  seeing  that  he  had  not 
recognized  the   signal   service   of   Mardonius   over- 
whelmed him  with  benefices  and  honor,  as  much 
as  a  man  could  wish  for.     For  the  monarch  often 


241  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

tesfois  les  merites  de  ses  subiects,  a  cause  de  la  mul- 
titude des  affaires  qui  passent  par  ses  mains,  d'ou 
il  aduient  qu'il  ne  leur  donne  rien,  si  par  vne  mo- 
destie  naturelle  ils  sont  honteux  de  demander:  & 
au  contraire  il  donne  excessiuement  aux  effrontez 
importuns,  qui  obtiennent  les  plus  beaux  benefices 
&  octrois  par  I'entremise  de  leur  corratiers,  bien 
qu'ils  n'ayent  rien  merite.  Ce  qui  apporte  beau- 
coup  de  mescontentement.  Basile  Macedonien  es- 
tant  venu  k  1' Empire,  trouua  les  thresors  espuisez 
par  ces  gens  la,  tellement  que  la  premiere  chose  qu'il 
fit  ce  fut  de  leur  faire  rendre  gorge,  &  rapport er  la 
moitie  des  dons  qu'ils  auoient  receus  sans  iuste 
cause.  Mais  d'autant  qu'il  est  mal-ayse  de  r'auoir 
ce  qu'on  a  donne  il  vaut  mieux  soubsmettre  sa 
liberalite  a  la  censure  du  conseil,  &  h  I'exemple  de 
Charles  huictiesme  declarer  nuls  les  dons  d'vne 
somme  notable,  s'ils  ne  sont  verifiez.  Et  ne  sert 
de  dire  qu'il  est  impossible  de  regler  la  despence 
154  d'vn]  Monarque  attendu  qu'il  luy  conuient  faire 
aucunesfois  des  presens  qui  doiuent  estre  celez.  Car 
tels  dons  se  font  aux  subiects  ou  aux  estrangers.  Si 
aux  subiects,  ils  en  peuuent  esperer  la  verification, 
en  cas  qu'ils  le  meritent,  &  s'ils  en  sont  indignes, 
ils  doiuent  prendre  patience  &  se  contenter  de  quel- 
que  petite  liberalite  qui  sera  en  la  pleine  disposi- 
tion du  Prince:  car  il  ne  doit  pas  pour  peu  de 
chose  demander   I'aduis   a  ses  ofiiciers:    &  pour  ce 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  242 

forgets  the  merit  of  his  subjects,  because  of  the 
muhitude  of  affairs  that  pass  through  his  hands, 
whence  it  happens  that  he  gives  them  nothing, 
if  by  a  natural  modesty  they  are  ashamed  to  ask: 
and  on  the  contrary  he  gives  excessively  to  the  bold, 
importunate  men,  who  obtain  the  best  benefices  and 
grants,  by  means  of  their  agents,  although  they 
have  merited  nothing,  which  brings  a  great  deal  of 
discontent.  Basil,  the  Macedonian,  having  be- 
come Emperor,  found  the  treasury  exhausted 
by  those  people,  so  much  so  that  the  first  thing 
that  he  did  was  to  make  them  disgorge,  and 
bring  back  the  half  of  the  gifts  that  they  had 
received  without  just  cause.  But  since  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  get  back  what  one  has  given,  it  is  better  to 
submit  one's  liberality  to  the  censure  of  the  council, 
and,  according  to  the  example  of  Charles  the 
Eighth  declare  null  the  gifts  of  a  notable  sum,  if 
they  are  not  verified.  And  it  is  not  worth  while 
saying  that  it  is  impossible  to  regulate  the  expenses 
of  a  monarch,  since  it  is  convenient  for  him  on  no 
occasion  to  make  presents  that  must  be  concealed. 
For  such  gifts  are  made  to  subjects  or  to  strangers. 
If  to  subjects,  they  can  hope  for  their  verification, 
in  case  they  merit  them,  and  if  they  are  unworthy 
of  them,  they  must  be  patient  and  content  them- 
selves with  some  small  liberality  which  is  at  the 
absolute  disposal  of  the  Prince:  for  he  must  not  for 
small   things   demand   advice   of  his   officers:    and 


243  LE   NOVVEAV    CYN^E. 

Charles  septiesme  auoit  par  Edit  exprez  declare  la 
somme  qu'il  vouloit  prendre  tous  les  ans,  pour  I'en- 
ployer  selon  son  plaisir.  Quant  aux  est  rangers,  si 
on  leur  assigne  vne  pension,  si  on  leur  fait  quelque 
present  en  cachette,  c'est  en  temps  de  guerre  ou  de 
defiance,  afin  qu'ils  trahissent  leur  maistre,  &  qu'ils 
descouurent  ses  secrets.  Ce  qui  ne  se  fera  point  en 
vne  paix  vniuerselle,  ou  il  n'y  a  que  les  Ambas- 
sadeurs  qui  puissent  accepter  vn  present.  Mais 
ceste  liberalite  est  publique,  honneste  &  moderee: 
encore  ne  sera-elle  pas  necessaire  a  cause  de  ceste 
assemblee  generale  dont  nous  auons  parle.  Bref 
155  on  ne  peut  trop  mesnager  les  finances  d'vn]  Mo- 
narque,  veu  que  d'icelles  depend  la  conseruation  de 
son  est  at,  &  soulagement  de  son  peuple,  qui  est 
tousiours  foule  h.  I'occasion  de  ses  liberalitez  des- 
reglees.  EUes  seroient  bien  mieux  employees  en- 
uers  les  pauures,  dont  le  nombre  multiplie  trop,  & 
si  on  n'y  donne  ordre,  ils  seront  capables  d'esbrans 
ler  les  est  at  s,  aussi  bien  que  firent  iadis  les  esclaue- 
d' Italic.  II  n'y  a  rien  qui  mette  plus  au  desespoir 
vn  homme  que  la  faim  &  disette  extreme.  De 
tout  temps  on  a  veu  des  pauures,  &  faut  necessaire - 
ment  qu'il  en  soit,  attendu  que  I'harmonie  des  Re- 
publiques,  depend  en  partie  de  rinegalit(^  des  pos- 
sessions; mais  il  faut  auoir  pitie  d'eux,  principale- 
ment  des  estropiez,  aueugles,  vieillards,  malades  & 
impotens :  &  quant  k  ceux  qui  sont  sains  &  dispos  il 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  244 

for  this  thing  Charles  the  Seventh  had  by  edict 
specially  declared  the  sum  that  he  wished  to  take 
every  year,  to  use  it  according  to  his  pleasure. 
As  for  strangers,  if  one  assigns  them  a  pension,  if 
one  makes  them  some  present  in  secret,  it  is  in  time 
of  war  or  of  suspicion,  so  that  they  should  betray 
their  master  and  that  they  should  disclose  his 
secrets.  Which  will  not  occur  in  an  universal  peace, 
when  only  ambassadors  can  accept  presents.  But 
this  liberality  is  public,  honest,  and  moderate: 
moreover,  it  would  not  be  necessary  because  of 
that  general  assembly  of  which  we  have  spoken. 
Briefly  one  cannot  too  much  save  the  finances  of  a 
monarch,  seeing  that  from  these  depends  the  pres- 
ervation of  his  State,  and  the  relief  of  his  people, 
which  is  always  trampled  upon  when  he  gives 
without  restraint.  They  would  be  much  better 
employed  for  the  poor,  whose  number  multiplies 
too  much,  and  if  one  does  not  attend  to  them, 
they  may  become  capable  of  disrupting  the  States, 
just  as  did  formerly  the  slaves  of  Italy.  There  is 
nothing  that  drives  a  man  more  to  despair  than 
hunger  and  extreme  lack  of  food.  In  all  times 
one  has  seen  poor  people,  and  there  must  neces- 
sarily be  some,  since  the  harmony  of  republics, 
depends  in  part  on  the  inequality  of  possessions; 
but  one  should  take  pity  on  them,  principally  of 
the  cripples,  blind,  aged,  sick,  and  impotent:  and 
as  for  those  who  are  healthy  and  well  it  is  neces- 


245  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

les  faut  pareillement  nourrir,  &  outre  leur  faire  ap- 
prendre  vn  mestier  s'ils  sont  ieunes,  afin  qu'ils  puis- 
sent  gaigner  leur  vie.  Cependant  s'ils  ont  age  & 
force  sufBsante  on  en  peut  tirer  du  seruice.  Car  les 
Princes  &  les  villes  ont  tousiours  affaire  des  ma- 
nceuures  &  hommes  de  trauail  pour  bastir,  pauer  les 

156  chemins,  calfeutrer  les  vaisseux,  reparer]  les  murailles 
ponts  &  forteresses.  Les  premiers  Cesars  entre- 
prenoient  de  grands  bastimens  qui  n'estoient  pas 
aucunes  fois  necessaires,  mais  ils  vouloient  embellir 
leur  Empire,  &  entretenir  beaucoup  de  pauures 
gens,  qui  autrement  fussent  morts  de  faim.  Et 
les  Venitiens  auiourd'huy  nourrissent  en  leur  Ar- 
senac  deux  ou  trois  mil  personnes,  sgachans  bien 
que  c'est  office  de  charite  d'employer  I'argent  pu- 
blic h  I'endroit  des  pauures,  en  les  f aisant  trauailler : 
&  k  ceste  fin  les  villes  bien  policees  ont  des  maisons 
ou  ils  retirent  les  necessiteux  non  malades,  afin  de 
faire  des  pepinieres  d'artisans,  &  d'empescher  les 
vagabonds  &  faitneans  qui  ne  demandent  qu'k 
belistrer,  ou  k  voler.  II  y  a  de  certains  pauures, 
qui  ne  doiuent  pas  estre  enfermez  ny  traictez 
comme  les  autres,  k  sgauoir  ceux  qui  ont  est6  ruinez 
par  les  guerres,  incendie,  &  semblables  accidens, 
&  sont  honteux  de  mendier.  Les  aumosnes  leur 
sont  mieux  appliquees,  qu'k  ces  maistres  gueux  qui 
n'ont  iamais  faict  autre  mestier.  Mais  pour  dire 
le  vray,  il  est  plus  facile  d'empescher  la  pauurete 

157  de  venir]  que  d'y  remedier  quand  elle  est  venue. 
Et  partant  puisque  1' experience  nous  apprend 
que   les   guerres,    procez   &    imposts    enuoyent    les 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  246 

sary  equally  to  nourish  them,   and   besides   make 
them  learn  a  trade  if  they  are  young,  so  that  they 
may  earn  their  living.     Still,  if  they  have  sufficient 
age  and  strength,  one  can  make  them  render  serv- 
ice.   For  Princes  and  cities  always  have  need  of 
navvies  and  workmen  to  build,  pave  the  roads,  rig 
up  the  ships,   repair  the  walls,   bridges    and    fort- 
resses.    The   first  Caesars   undertook   great  build- 
ings that  were  not  in  any  way  necessary,  but  they 
wished   to    embellish   their    Empire,  and   maintain 
many  poor  people,  who  otherwise  would  have  died 
of  hunger.     And  the  Venetians  to-day  nourish  in 
their  Arsenal  two  or  three  thousand  persons,  know- 
ing well  that  it  is  a  duty  of  charity  to  employ  pubUc 
money  for  the  good  of  the  poor,  in  making  them 
work:    and    to    this  end  the  well  regulated  cities 
have  houses  where  they  retire  the  necessitous  who 
are  not  sick,  in  order  to  make  nurseries  of  artisans 
and  to  stop  the  vagabonds  and  lazy  ones  who  only 
ask  to  live  Hke  beasts  or  to  steal.     There  are  cer- 
tain poor,  who  must  not  be  shut  up  nor  treated  Hke 
the  others,  to  wit,  those  who  have  been  ruined  by 
wars,    fire,    and    similar    accidents,    and   who    are 
ashamed  to  beg.     Alms  are  better  applied  to  them, 
than  to  those  master  beggars,  who  have  never  pur- 
sued any  other  trade.      But  to  speak  accurately, 
it  is  easier  to  prevent  poverty  from  coming  than  to 
remedy  it  when  it  has  come.     And  therefore  since 
experience  teaches  us  that  war,  trials  and  taxes  send 


247  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE, 

hommes  k  I'hostel  Dieu,  ostons  ces  trois  causes, 
nous  ne  verrons  point  tant  de  miserables  mendians. 
La  premiere  cause  est  plus  importante,  &  les  deux 
autres  en  dependent:  Car  h  1' occasion  des  guerres 
le  commun  peuple  est  charge  d'imposts,  pille  aux 
champs  par  les  gens  d'armes,  &  aux  villes  par  les 
vsuriers,  ausquels  il  est  contrainct  d'auoir  recours 
en  sa  necessite:  &  de  tout  cela  on  voit  naistre  des 
procez  qui  acheuent  de  miner  les  maisons.  Done 
la  paix  generale  est  vn  beau  moyen  pour  preuenir 
ces  malheurs.  EUe  rendra  la  clef  des  champs  & 
la  liberte  au  laboureur,  le  deschargera  des  creues 
qui  se  leuent  en  temps  de  guerre,  I'affranchira  de 
la  tyrannic  des  vsuriers,  qui  bastissent  leur  fortune 
sur  les  mines  d'autruy.  II  n'aura  plus  a  craindre 
que  les  procez,  dont  la  paix  ne  le  peut  garantir. 
Car  il  ne  faut  qu'vn  mauuais  voisin,  vn  vindicatif, 
vn  hargneux,  pour  mettre  en  procez  vn  homme 
158  paisible,  &  luy  faire  despenser  tout]  son  bien  en 
chicanerie:  ioint  qu'il  y  a  des  personnes  qui  ne  se 
plaisent  qu'a  plaider.  Tesmoing  ce  marchand  de 
Paris,  lequel  ne  voulut  iamais  quitter  ses  procez, 
bien  que  le  Roy  Francois  premier  1' exhort  a  de  ce 
faire,  &  promit  de  transiger  pour  luy  a  son  profit 
auec  toutes  ses  parties,  tant  debteurs  que  creanciers. 
Tels  plaidereaux  deuroient  estre  punis  a  tout  le 
moins  par  la  bourse,  k  la  fagon  des  Grecs,  &  Romains, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  248 

one  to  the  poor  house,  if  we  take  away  these  three 
causes,  we  shall  not  see  so  many  miserable  beggars. 
The  first  cause  is  the  most  important,  and  the  other 
two  spring  from  it:    for   during  the  times  of  war 
the  common  people  are  charged  with  taxes,  robbed 
in  the  fields  by  the  men  at  arms,  and  in  the  towns 
by  the  usurers,  to  whom  they  are  constrained  to 
have  recourse  in  their  necessity:  and  from  all  that 
one  sees  trials  arise  which  finish  ruining  the  house- 
holds.    Therefore  a  general  peace  is  a  fine  means 
to  prevent  these  evils.      It  would  give  back  the 
security  of  the  fields  and  liberty  to  the  laborer, 
unload   him   of   the   burdens   that   are   applied   in 
times  of  war,  free  him  from  the  tyranny  of  usurers, 
who  build  their  fortunes  on  the  ruins  of  others. 
He  will  have  to  fear  only  lawsuits,  against  which 
peace  cannot   guarantee  him.      For  there  is  need 
only   of   a   bad   neighbor,    a   vindictive   person,    a 
crabbed  man,   to  bring  to  trial  a  peaceable  man, 
and  make  him  spend  all  his  wealth  in  chicanery: 
added  to  which  there  are  people  who  take  pleasure 
only  in  going  to  law.    Witness  that  Paris  merchant, 
who   was   never   willing   to    abandon  his  lawsuits, 
even  though  the  King  Francis  the  First  exhorted 
him  to  do  so,  and  promised  to  compound  for  him 
to  his  profit  with  all  his  opposing  parties,  as  well 
debtors    as    creditors.      Such    pleaders    should    be 
punished   at  least  in  their  pocket-book,  according 
to   the   fashion   of   the  Greeks,  and  Romans,  who 


249  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

qui  faisoient  gageure  solemnellement,  &  consig- 
noient  vne  certaine  somme  d'vne  part  &  d'autre 
auant  que  le  procez  fut  iuge,  &  on  confisquoit 
r  argent  de  celuy  qui  estoit  condamme.  Auiour- 
d'huy  telles  amendes  n'ont  point  de  lieu  sinon  en 
cause  d'appel,  &  encore  elles  sont  si  petites,  que 
les  plaideurs  temeraires  n'en  tiennent  compte :  mais 
en  Grece  elles  valoient  la  dixiesme  partie  de  ce  qui 
estoit  contest e  en  iugement  es  causes  ciuiles,  &  la 
cinquiesme  es  causes  criminelles.  Or  ce  mal  vient 
principalement  des  hommes  de  pratique,  qui  soubs 
pretexte  de  defendre  leurs  parties,  allongent  in- 
159  dustrieusement  les]  procez,  &  les  veulent  rendre 
immortels  pource  qu'ils  ne  viuent  d'autre  chose. 
II  n'y  a  faict  si  liquide  qu'ils  ne  rendent  douteux. 
II  n'y  a  cause  si  claire  qu'ils  n'obscurcissent,  aucun 
arrest  dont  ils  ne  f assent  surseoir  I'execution  par 
vne  subtilite  malicieuse.  Ce  qui  faisoit  dire  k 
Caton,  que  le  Palais  deuoit  estre  paue  de  chausse- 
trapes.  Que  si  les  iuges  symbolisent  auec  telles 
gens,  ou  s'ils  se  laissent  par  eux  surprendre,  quelle 
esperance  y  a-il  de  voir  la  iustice  bien  administree : 
Que  fera  vn  pauure  plaideur  quand  il  verra  tant  de 
remises  en  son  affaire  qui  pouuoir  estre  termine 
promptement  ?  Quel  courage  aura-il  de  seruir  son 
Prince,  d'honorer  les  magistrats,  quand  il  se  ven-a 
consume  en  frais  auparauant  que  d'auoir  iustice? 
Pour  empescher  ce  mal,  on  a  fait  en  France  plu- 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS. 


250 


solemnly   made    an    agreement    and   impounded    a 
certain  sum  from  one  side  and  the  other  until  the 
trial  was  decided,  and  then  confiscated  the  money 
of  the  party  that  was   condemned.     To-day    such 
penalties  have  no  existence  except  in  cases  which 
are    appealed,    and    moreover    they    are   so   small, 
that  bold  litigants  do  not  take  count  of  them :   but 
in  Greece  they  were  worth  the  tenth  part  of  what 
was  contested  in  judgment  in  civil  cases,  and  the 
fifth  part  in  criminal  cases.     Now  this  evil  comes 
chiefly   from   the    men   who   practice,    who    under 
pretext    of    defending    their    clients,    industriously 
lengthen  the  trials,  and  wish  to  render  them  im- 
mortal  because   they  do  not  live  from  any  other 
things.     There  is  no  fact  so  clear  that  they  do  not 
make  it  doubtful.     There  is  no  cause  so  clear  that 
they  do  not  obscure  it,  no  statute  of  which  they  do 
not  prevent  the  execution  by  a  malicious  subtility, 
which    caused    Cato  to   say,   that  the   law   courts 
must  be  paved  with  traps.     But  if  the  judges  sym- 
pathize with  such  people,  or  if  they  allow  them- 
selves to  be  fooled  by  them,  what  hope  is  there  of 
seeing    justice    well    administered:      What    will    a 
poor  litigant  do  when  he  sees  so  many  delays  in 
his    case    which    could    be    promptly    terminated? 
What  courage  will  he  have  to  serve  his  Prince,  to 
honor  the  magistrate,  when  he  sees  himself  eaten 
up  with  expenses  before  he  has  justice?     To  pre- 
vent   this   evil,    one   has   tried   in    France    several 


251  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

sieurs  polices,  dont  la  plus  vtile  &  signalee  est  I'abo- 
lition  de  I'ofifice  des  Procureurs.  Car  nos  ancestres 
preuoyans  que  de  permittre  vne  vacation  qui  ne 
subsiste  que  par  la  naissance  &  continuation  des 
procez,  ce  seroit  faire  comme  ces  luges  d'Athenes, 

160  qui  remirent  vne]  cause  iusques  k  cens  ans,  d'autant 
qu'vn  homme  ne  cherche  pas  la  fin  d'vne  chose  qui 
luy  apporte  du  profit,  ils  defendirent  de  plaider 
par  Procureur,  sinon  en  cas  de  necessite,  &  falloit 
alors  impetrer  ceste  procuration  du  Prince,  laquelle 
s'expiroit  auec  le  Parlement,  afin  que  personne  ne 
s'asseurast  de  viure  aux  despens  des  plaideurs. 
Dauantage  ils  faisoient  plaider  k  tour  de  roole  si 
exactement,  que  chacun  se  pouuoit  asseurer  d'estre 
expedie,  selon  I'ordre  qu'ils  s'estoit  presente  pour 
demander  iustice,  n'estant  permis  aux  Presidens  de 
donner  audience  extraordinaire  sinon  les  leudis. 
Et  pour  retenir  les  iuges  inferieurs  en  leur  deuoir, 
c'estoit  vne  costume  generale  aux  appellans  de 
les  prendre  a  parties  &  les  faire  adiourner  pour 
venir  respondre  de  leurs  sentences  k  leurs  perils 
&  fortunes.  Ces  reglemens  sont  bons  s'ils  es- 
toient  obseruez.  Mais  Basile  Macedonien  trouua 
d'autres  remedes.  En  premier  lieu  il  assigna 
certain  reuenu  k  ceux  qui  n'auoient  moyen 
de  poursuiure  leur  droicts.     Secondement,   pource 

161  qu'il  voyoit  le  desordre  qu'apportoit]  la  multi- 
tude &  obscurite  des  loix  que  chacun  interpretoit 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  252 

policies,  of  which  the  most  useful  and  notable  is 
the  abolition  of  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorneys. 
For  our  ancestors  foresaw  that  to  allow  an  avoca- 
tion that  only  subsists  by  the  birth  and  continua- 
tion of  lawsuits,  would  be  doing  like  those  judges 
of  Athens  who  put  off  a  trial  for  a  hundred  years, 
and  in  as  much  as  a  man  does  not  seek  to  end  a 
thing  that  brings  him  profit,  they  forbade  pleading 
by  attorney,  except  in  case  of  necessity,  and  it  was 
necessary  then  to  obtain  this  power  of  attorney 
from  the  Prince,  which  expired  with  the  Parliament, 
so  that  no  one  might  be  assured  of  living  at  the 
expense  of  the  litigants.  In  addition  they  forced 
pleading  in  turn  so  exactly,  that  each  one  might 
be  assured  of  being  attended  to,  according  to  the 
order  in  which  he  had  presented  himself  to  demand 
justice,  it  not  being  permitted  to  the  Presidents 
to  give  extraordinary  audience  except  on  Thurs- 
days. And  to  retain  the  lower  judges  in  their 
duty,  it  was  a  general  custom  for  the  appellants 
to  take  them  aside  and  make  them  adjourn  so  as 
to  answer  for  their  sentences  at  the  peril  of  their 
lives  and  fortunes.  These  regulations  are  good 
if  they  were  observed.  But  Basil  the  Macedonian 
found  other  remedies.  In  the  first  place  he  as- 
signed certain  revenues  to  those  who  had  not  the 
means  of  prosecuting  their  rights.  Secondly,  be- 
cause he  saw  the  disorder  that  the  multitude  and 
obscurity  of  the  laws  brought  which  each  one  in- 


253  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

h  sa  phantaisie,  il  delibera  de  casser  les  ordonnances 
inutiles  &  ambigues.  En  apres,  il  establit  des 
iuges  sans  reproche,  &  leur  bailla  bons  gages,  leur 
enioignant  de  tenir  le  siege  tout  le  iour,  &  de  vuider 
les  procez  auec  toute  equite  &  diligence.  Finale- 
ment  il  prit  la  peine  de  cognoistre  les  differends  & 
plaint es  du  peuple:  k  quoy  il  ne  manquoit  iamais, 
si  d'ailleurs  il  n'estoit  diuerti  pour  la  guerre,  ou 
pour  la  depeche  des  Ambassadeurs.  Mesmes  vn 
iour  est  ant  venu  au  Palais,  &  voyant  que  personne 
ne  I'abordoit,  il  enuoya  des  gens  expres  par  la  ville 
de  Constantinople  pour  s^auoir  si  quelqu'vn  auoit 
des  plaintes  a  luy  faire,  &  comme  il  fut  aduerti 
que  tout  le  monde  estoit  content,  il  en  pleura  de 
ioye  &  en  rendit  graces  a  Dieu.  C'estoient  tous 
actes  de  grand  Monarque,  lequel  doit  rendre  la 
iustice  k  ses  suiects,  autant  aux  petis  comme  aux 
grands,  aux  pay  sans  comme  aux  nobles.  Et  cela 
ne  diminue  pas  sa  grandeur.  Son  nom  le  garantit 
162  assez  du  mespris.  Les  plus  excellentes]  choses  sont 
communicatiues.  Le  Soleil  iette  ses  rayons  esgal- 
lement  sur  I'or  &  la  fange.  Les  eaux  coulent  en 
public.  Dieu  conserue  les  moindres  animaux  en  leur 
estre.  Pourquoy  done  vn  Roy  se  cachera-il  de  son 
peuple?  Pourquoy  ne  se  rendra-il  communicable 
k  ses  subiects,  afin  de  receuoir  leurs  requestes  de 
leur   main,    ouyr   leurs   doleances   de   leur   bouche, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  254 

terpreted  according  to  his  phantasy,  he  decided  to 
put  an  end  to  the  useless  and  ambiguous  ordi- 
nances. Afterwards,  he  appointed  irreproachable 
judges,  and  granted  them  good  salaries,  enjoin- 
ing upon  them  to  sit  all  day,  and  to  settle  the  law- 
suits with  all  equity  and  diligence.  Finally  he 
took  the  trouble  to  learn  about  the  disputes  and 
complaints  of  the  people:  in  which  he  never  failed, 
unless  he  was  diverted  therefrom  by  war,  or  the 
communications  of  Ambassadors.  Even  one  day 
having  come  to  the  law  courts,  and  seeing  that 
no  one  accosted  him,  he  expressly  sent  people 
through  the  city  of  Constantinople  to  know  if 
anyone  had  complaints  to  make  to  him,  and  as 
he  was  advised  that  everybody  was  content, 
he  cried  for  joy  and  gave  thanks  to  God.  These 
were  altogether  the  acts  of  a  great  monarch,  who 
must  render  justice  to  his  subjects,  as  much  to 
the  small  as  to  the  great,  to  the  peasants  as  to 
the  nobles.  And  this  does  not  diminish  his  gran- 
deur. His  name  guards  him  sufficiently  from 
contempt.  The  most  excellent  things  are  commu- 
nicative. The  Sun  throws  his  rays  equally  upon 
gold  and  mud.  The  waters  flow  in  public.  God 
preserves  the  smallest  animals  in  their  being.  Why 
then  should  a  King  hide  himself  from  his  people? 
Why  should  he  not  make  himself  accessible  to 
his  subjects,  in  order  to  receive  their  demands 
from  their  hands,  hear  their  complaints  from  their 


255  LE    NOVVEAV    CYN^E. 

qui  sont  ordinairement  supprimees  ou  desguisees 
par  la  conniuence  de  ses  familiers  &  domestiques, 
qui  ne  songent  qu'k  se  mettre  a  leur  ayse,  &  ne  font 
non  plus  d'estat  d'vn  paysan  ou  bourgeois  que 
d'vne  pauure  beste?  Auguste,  Claude,  Vespesian, 
Adrian  &  autres  Empereurs  faisoient  droict  aux 
parties,  non  seulement  estans  assis  au  trosne  de 
iustice,  mais  aussi  en  leur  chambre,  k  toute  heure, 
mesme  pendant  leur  repas,  &  lors  qu'ils  estoient 
au  Hot  malades.  Mithridates  Roy  tres -puissant 
auoit  appris  vingt-deux  langues,  afin  d'ouyr  les 
supplications  de  tous  les  peuples  qui  en  vsoient.  Nos- 
tre  sainct  Loys  n'estoit  pas  moins  curieux  de  ce 
163  deuoir.  Car  mesmes  au  milieu  de  ses  esbats]  qu'il 
prenoit  ordinairement  au  bois  de  Vincenne,  il  se 
mettoit  au  pied  d'vn  chesne,  &  \h  il  donnoit  audience 
libre  k  ceux  qui  se  present oient,  &  de  I'aduis  de  quel- 
ques  seigneurs  qui  I'assistoient,  sur  le  champ  pro- 
nongoit  sa  sentence.  le  sgay  que  le  Prince  ne  peut 
pas  estre  par  tout:  aussi  il  n'est  pas  besoing  qu'il 
s' oblige  d'ouyr  sans  cesse  les  differends:  pour  le 
moins  il  doit  donner  quelques  iours  de  la  sepmaine 
k  ses  subiects,  h  I'exemple  de  Charlemagne,  &  leur 
permettre  de  I'accoster  lors  qu'ils  auront  quelque 
iuste  plaincte.  Cela  empeschera  beaucoup  d'in- 
iustices,  &  contraindra  les  luges,  Aduocats,  & 
Procureurs  de  marcher  droict,  quand  ils  verront 
que  le  Prince  prendra  cognoissance  de  leurs  ac- 
tions.    A  ceste  occasion  Philippe  le  Long  ordonna 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  256 

lips,   which  are  ordinarily  suppressed  or  disguised 
by  the  connivance  of  his  companions  and  servants, 
who  only  think  of  being  at  their  ease,  and  do  not 
make   more   of    a   peasant   or  burgher  than   of    a 
poor  beast?     Augustus,  Claude,  Vespasian,  Hadrian 
and  other  Emperors  gave  justice  to  the  litigants, 
not  only  when  sitting  on  the  throne  of  justice,  but 
also  in  their  room,  at  all  times,  even  during  their 
meals,    and  while  they  were    in    bed  sick.     Mith- 
ridates  a  very  powerful  King  had  learnt  twenty- 
two  languages,  in  order  to  hear  the  supplications 
of  all  the  people  who  used  them.     Our  Saint  Louis 
was  not  less  attentive  to  this  duty.     For  even  in 
the  midst  of  his  sports  which  he  followed  ordina- 
rily in  the  forest  of  Vincennes,   he  placed  himself 
at  the  foot  of   an  oak  and  there  he  gave  free  aud- 
ience to  those  who  presented  themselves,  and  with 
the   advice  of  a  few  lords  who  assisted  him,   on 
the  spot  gave  judgment.     I  know  that   the   Prince 
cannot   be   everywhere:     also   it   is   not   necessary 
that  he  forces  himself  to  hear  without  cessation 
the  disputes:   at  least  he  must  give  some  few  days 
of  the  week  to   his  subjects,  according  to  the  ex- 
ample  of   Charlemange,    and  permit   them   to   ad- 
dress him  when  they  have  some  just  complaint. 
This  will  prevent  many  injustices,   and  will   con- 
strain   the    judges,    advocates,    and    attorneys    to 
walk  straight,  when  they  see  that  the  Prince  will 
take  cognizance  of  their  acts.     In  this  wise  PhiHp 


257  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

que  deux  seigneurs  de  sa  Cour  assisteroient  au  Parle- 
ment  pour  voir  &  luy  rapporter  ce  qui  s'y  passoit,  & 
aussi  s'opposer  aux  Arrests  qui  meriteroient  censure. 
Par  vne  autre  ordonnance  de  Philippe  le  Bel  les 

164  Presidens  doiuent  rendre  compte  de  trois]  ans  en 
trois  ans.  Mais  il  ne  sera  besoing  de  venir  k  ces 
rigueurs  si  on  eslit  des  magistrats  qui  ayent  de 
I'aage,  du  iugement,  de  la  Constance,  &  preu- 
d'hommie,  qui  ne  soient  point  souffreteux,  qui  ne  se 
laissent  emporter  par  faueur  ny  par  crainte,  en 
somme  qui  ne  se  fassent  point  prier  pour  signer 
vne  request e  iuste,  &  ne  se  laissent  aussi  ama- 
doiier  pour  en  accorder  vne  iniuste.  Ce  n'est  pas 
peu  de  chose  que  d'estre  iuge.  La  vie  &  les  biens 
d'vn  chacun  dependent  de  cest  office.  Les  Athe- 
niens  ne  receuoient  en  la  Cour  d'Areopage  sinon 
ceux  qui  estoient  de  noble  extraction  &  de  bonne 
vie:  aussi  c'estoit  le  plus  auguste  &  fameux  consis- 
toire  de  iustice  qui  fut  oncques,  &  mesmes  on  tient 
que  les  meschans  qui  par  faueur  ou  dissimulation 
de  leurs  vices  s 'estoient  fait  receuoir  en  iceluy 
changeoient  incontinent  de  naturel,  &  deuenoient 
gens  de  bien  comme  s'ils  eussent  este  diuinement 
touchez  par  le  genie  du  lieu  &  de  ceste  notable  as- 
semblee.  Or  d'autant  que  nous  ne  sommes  pas  en 
vn  siecle  de  telle  perfection,  le  Prince  doit  d'autant 

165  plus  estre  soigneux]  de  cognoistre  les  deportemens 
des  iuges  &  les  examiner  comme  toute  autre 
chose  d 'importance   auec  son  conseil,    &    sur   tout 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  258 

the  Long  ordered  that  two  lords  of  his  court  should 
assist  in  Parliament  to  see  and  report  to  him  what 
occurred  there,  and  also  oppose  the  decrees  that 
merited  censure.  By  another  ordinance  of  Philip 
the  Fair  the  Presidents  must  render  an  account 
every  three  years.  But  it  will  not  be  necessary 
to  resort  to  such  severe  measures  if  magistrates 
are  chosen  who  have  age,  judgment,  constancy, 
and  goodness,  who  are  not  invalids,  who  do  not 
allow  themselves  to  be  influenced  by  favor  nor  by 
fear,  in  fine  who  do  not  require  to  be  begged  to 
sign  a  just  request,  and  do  not  allow  themselves 
to  be  coaxed  into  granting  an  unjust  one.  It  is 
not  a  little  matter  to  be  a  judge.  The  life  and 
wealth  of  everyone  depend  upon  this  office.  The 
Athenians  did  not  receive  in  the  court  of  Areopa- 
gus any  except  those  who  were  of  noble  extraction 
and  of  blameless  life:  therefore  it  was  the  most 
august  and  famous  consistory  of  justice  that  ever 
was,  and  even  it  is  held  that  the  bad  who  by  favor 
or  dissimulation  of  their  vices  had  been  received 
in  this  changed  incontinently  their  nature,  and 
became  good  people  as  if  they  had  been  divinely 
touched  by  the  genius  of  the  place  and  of  that 
notable  assembly.  Now  for  as  much  as  we  are 
not  in  a  century  of  such  perfection,  the  Prince 
must  be  all  the  more  careful  to  know  the  acts  of 
the  judges  and  examine  them  like  everything 
else  of  importance  with  his  council,  and  especially 


259  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEJE. 

leur  enioindre  d'expedier  promptement  les  procez, 
sans  s'amuser  k  tant  de  formalitez  superflues.  II  ne 
faut  precipiter  les  iugemens,  mais  aussi  il  ne  faut 
pas  les  differer  quand  le  droict  est  apparent,  sous 
couleur  de  petites  supercheries  prouenantes  de  I'in- 
uention  de  ceux  qui  n'ayans  pas  bonne  cause  ne 
veulent  iamais  sortir  d'affaire.  II  y  a  en  cecy 
aucunesfois  de  la  faute  des  iuges,  qui  sont  trop  lents 
h  rapporter  vn  procez,  &  sont  trop  indulgens  h 
I'endroict  des  chiquaneurs,  qui  ne  manquent  point 
de  pretexte  pour  retarder  ou  embroiiiller  vne  cause. 
Les  iuges  doiuent  rembarrer  voire  mesmes  chastier 
ces  gens  Ik,  pource  qu'ils  donnent  subiects  au  peuple 
de  murmurer  contre  le  plus  sainct  ordre  du  monde, 
veu  qu'on  a  tant  de  peine  h  obtenir  iustice.  La 
decision  des  procez  n'est  pas  chose  si  mal  aisee 
qu'il  faille  y  apporter  tant  de  remises.  Si  la  ques- 
tion est  de  faict,  I'enqueste  ou  information  I'esclair- 
166  cissent,  qui  ne  requiejrent  pas  grande  substilite. 
Les  questions  de  droict  sont  la  plus-part  preiugees 
par  les  loix.  Edicts,  coustumes  &  Arrests  qui  ont 
este  donnez  sur  ces  semblables.  Car  les  accidens  & 
negoces  sont  compris  en  nombre  determine.  S'il  y  a 
quelque  circonstance  qui  les  varie,  on  peut  aysement 
voir  si  elle  est  considerable.  Mais  on  faict  souuen- 
tesfois  d'vne  mouche  vn  Elephant,  &  les  praticiens 
auec  leur  stile  &  routine  trouuent  tousiours  quel- 
que alibi  pour  accrocher  vn  procez,  &  auec  cela  les 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  260 

to  impress  upon  them  to  expedite  promptly  the 
suits,  without  amusing  themselves  with  so  many 
superfluous  formalities.  The  judgments  must  not 
be  rushed,  but  they  must  also  not  be  put  off  when 
the  right  is  apparent,  under  color  of  little  frauds 
coming  from  the  invention  of  those  who  not  having 
a  good  case  do  not  wish  ever  to  stop  litigation. 
There  is  in  this  however,  no  fault  of  the  judges, 
who  are  too  slow  in  reporting  a  trial,  and  are  too 
indulgent  towards  pettifoggers,  who  do  not  want 
excuses  to  delay  or  mix  up  a  case.  Judges  must 
repel,  or  even  punish  those  individuals,  because 
they  give  cause  to  the  people  to  murmur  against 
the  most  saintly  order  of  the  world,  seeing  that 
one  has  so  much  trouble  to  obtain  justice.  To 
give  judgment  upon  trials  is  not  so  difficult  a  mat- 
ter that  one  must  bring  it  so  many  delays.  If 
the  question  is  one  of  facts,  the  inquest  or  infor- 
mation clears  it  up,  which  does  not  require  great 
subtility.  The  questions  of  law  are  for  the  most 
part  pre-judged  by  the  laws,  edicts,  customs  and 
decrees  that  have  been  given  on  one's  fellow  beings. 
For  accidents  and  negotiations  are  included  in 
well  determined  numbers.  If  there  is  some  cir- 
cumstance that  varies  them,  one  can  easily  see 
if  it  is  important.  But  one  often  makes  of  a  fly 
an  elephant,  and  the  practitioners  with  their  style 
and  routine  always  find  some  small  alibi  on  which 
to  hang  a  suit,  and  with  that  the  barristers  instead 


261  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

iurisconsultes  au  lieu  de  desuelopervn  fait,  ont  ac- 
coustume  de  Tobscurcir  par  leurs  interpretations. 
Ce  vice  ne  leur  est  pas  familier  d'auiourd'huy.  II  y 
a  plus  de  seize  cens  ans  que  Ciceron  s'est  plainct 
des  consultans  de  son  aage  qui  pour  paroistre  ha- 
biles  en  leur  mestier,  d'vne  hypothese  simple  en 
faisoient  plusieurs,  vsans  de  diuisions  &  subdiui- 
sions  afin  de  rendre  la  chose  plus  difficile.  Le  texte 
des  loix  est  clair  &  intelligible.  S'il  y  a  quelque 
defaut,  que  les  iuges  le  suppleent  par  leur  sagesse 
&  equite,  sans  auoir  recours  k  vne  milliasse  d'inter- 
167  pretes  qui]  ne  s'accordent  entr'eux  non  plus  que  les 
horloges,  &  causent  des  scrupules  &  distractions 
d'esprit  par  la  diuersite  de  leur  opinions.  Ce  qui 
engendre  &  nourrit  les  procez,  &  les  faict  durer 
si  longuement  qu'on  n'en  peut  voir  la  fin.  C'est 
pourquoy  les  peuplades  d'Hespagnols  aux  Indes 
auoient  raison  de  prier  leur  Roy  de  ne  leur  enuoyer 
aucuns  Aduocats.  Car  les  peuples  grossiers  viuans 
k  la  naturelle  sont  plus  k  leur  ayse  que  ceux  qui 
employ ent  leur  subtilit^  en  tromperies.  Mais  puis 
que  les  procez  sont  si  ordinaires  aux  nations  de 
I'Europe  qu'on  n'en  peut  couper  la  racine,  il  faut 
empescher  qu'ils  ne  pullulent,  &  donner  ordre  qu'ils 
soient  iugez  le  plus  promt ement  que  faire  se  pourra. 
Le  Senat  Romain  auoit  vne  belle  coustume  en  causes 
criminelles  de  continuer  I'audience  trois  iours  consec- 
utifs,  pendant  lesquels  ils  escoutoient  les  parties  tout  k 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  262 

of  clearing  up  a  fact,  have  the  habit  of  obscuring 
it  by  their  interpretations.  This  vice  is  not  famil- 
iar to  them  from  to-day.  There  are  more  than 
sixteen  hundred  years  since  Cicero  complained 
of  those  advisers  of  his  time  who  in  order  to  ap- 
pear able  in  their  profession,  out  of  a  simple  hy- 
pothesis made  several,  making  use  of  divisions 
and  subdivisions  in  order  to  make  the  matter  more 
difficult.  The  text  of  the  laws  is  clear  and  intel- 
ligible. If  there  are  some  faults,  let  the  judges 
supplement  them  by  their  wisdom  and  equity, 
without  referring  to  a  million  of  interpreters  who 
no  more  agree  among  themselves  than  clocks,  and 
cause  scruples  and  distraction  of  thought  by  the 
diversity  of  their  opinions,  which  engenders  and 
nourishes  trials,  and  causes  them  to  last  so  long 
that  one  cannot  see  their  end.  It  is  for  that  the 
settlements  of  Spaniards  in  the  Indies  were  right 
in  asking  their  King  not  to  send  them  any  barris- 
ters. For  the  simple  peoples  living  in  a  state  of 
nature  are  more  at  their  ease  than  those  who  em- 
ploy their  subtleties  in  deceit.  But  since  suits 
are  so  common  among  the  nations  of  Europe  that 
one  cannot  cut  their  roots,  one  must  prevent  their 
swarming,  and  give  order  that  they  be  decided 
as  promptly  as  possible.  The  Roman  Senate  had 
a  good  custom  in  criminal  cases  of  continuing 
the  sitting  three  consecutive  days,  during  which 
they  listened  to  the  parties  at  their  leisure,  with 


263  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

loisir,  auec  les  tesmoins,  &  ne  sortoient  point 
de  la  chambre  auparauant  que  le  Soleil  fut  couche. 
Et  pour  le  regard  des  causes  ciuiles  Vespasian  y 

168  pourueut  sagement.  Car  ay  ant]  recogneu  les 
rooUes  qui  s'estoient  enflez  par  I'iniure  du  temps, 
il  choisit  des  hommes  ausquels  il  donna  commission 
de  reuoir  soigneusement  &  iuger  les  procez  qui 
sembloient  ne  pouuoir  estre  terminez  durant  la 
vie  des  parties.  Vn  procez  est  de  mauuaise  garde. 
II  produict  de  pareils  effects  que  les  armes,  &  n'y 
a  rien  qui  appauurisse  plus  vn  peuple  en  temps  de 
paix  si  vous  except ez  les  tailles,  qui  donnent  subiect 
de  grandes  plaintes.  le  ne  serois  pas  d'aduis  qu'on 
fit  comme  Neron  qui  resolut  d'affranchir  de  sub- 
sides tous  ses  subiects:  Vn  Monarque  a  besoin  de 
quelques  contributions  pour  entretenir  sa  grandeur,. 
&  asseurer  son  est  at,  mais  il  doibt  en  cecy  vser  de 
moderation,  sans  s'amuser  k  la  maxime  de  certains 
flateurs.  QuHl  ny  a  pire  greffe  que  celle  d'vn  peu- 
ple. Tels  hommes  rompent  I'amitie  mutuelle  qui  doit 
estre  entre  le  Prince  &  ses  subiects.  Les  Histoires 
nous  donnent  infinis  exemples  des  changemens  qui 
arriuent  k  vn  estat  k  1' occasion  des  imposts.  Et 
puis   que   les   tailles   n'ont   este   premierement   or- 

169  donnees  que  pour  subuenir  aux  frais]  de  la  guerre, 
&  mesmes  que  nos  Roys  protestent  de  les  abolir, 
ceste  cause  cessante,  quel  pretexte  auront  ils  de  les 
continuer  en  vne  paix  generale?    Or  le  plus  grand 
mal  que  Ton  commette  en  cela,  gist  en  la  proce- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  264 

the  witnesses,  and  did  not  leave  the  hall  until  the 
sun  had  set.  And  as  regards  civil  cases,  Vespas- 
ian provided  wisely.  For  having  recognized  that 
the  rolls  were  filled  through  the  wrongs  of  time, 
he  chose  men  to  whom  he  gave  commission  to 
carefully  look  over  and  decide  the  cases  that 
seemed,  as  if  they  could  not  be  terminated  during 
the  lifetime  of  the  contestants.  A  lawsuit  is  a  bad 
thing  to  keep.  It  produces  similar  results  as  arms, 
and  there  is  nothing  that  impoverishes  more  a 
people  in  times  of  peace  if  you  except  the  taxes, 
which  are  the  cause  of  much  complaint.  I  am  not 
of  the  opinion  that  one  should  do  as  did  Nero  who 
decided  to  free  from  subsidies  all  his  subjects:  A 
monarch  has  need  of  some  contributions  to  main- 
tain his  grandeur,  and  assure  his  State,  but  he 
must  in  this  make  use  of  moderation,  without 
amusing  himself  with  the  maxim  of  some  flatterers. 
That  there  is  no  worse  graft  than  that  of  a  poor  people. 
Such  men  break  the  mutual  friendship  that  should 
exist  between  the  Prince  and  his  subjects.  His- 
tories give  us  infinite  examples  of  the  changes  that 
happen  to  a  State  on  the  occasion  of  taxation. 
And  since  the  taxes  were  first  ordered  only  to  pay 
the  cost  of  war,  and  since  our  Kings  even  protest 
that  they  will  abolish  them  when  this  cause  ceases, 
what  pretext  will  they  have  for  continuing  them 
during  a  general  peace  ?  Now  the  greatest  harm  com- 
mitted in  this  matter  lies  in  the  manner  of  raising 


265  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

dure  de  la  leuee  des  deniers.  Car  on  ne  se  con- 
tente  pas  de  taxer  les  pauures  autant  que  les  riches, 
le  plus  souuent  ceux-cy  ne  payent  rien  &  ceux-lk 
support ent  tout  le  faix.  Pour  k  quoy  remedier  les 
tallies  deuroient  estre  par  tout  reelles,  comme  elles 
sont  en  Prouence  &  Languedoc,  ou  mixtes  ainsi 
qu'elles  estoient  en  la  ville  de  Rome,  ou  chacun 
payoit  rimpost  selon  ses  moyens  lesquels  il  bailloit 
par  declaration,  &  on  punissoit  rigoureusement  ceux 
qui  celoient  leurs  biens.  On  a  voulu  depuis  peu 
remettre  ceste  coustume,  mais  quelques  vns  I'ont 
empesche  par  des  raisons  assez  friuoles.  Car  les 
Romains  s'en  sont  bien  trouuez,  &  Tite  Liue  la 
loue  comme  la  plus  belle  police  &  la  plus  salutaire 
que  puisse  auoir  vne  grande  monarchic,  attendu 
que  par  ce  denombrement  on  verroit  non  seulement 
170  ses  richesses,  mais  aussi  ses  forces  qui  consi]stent 
en  la  multitude  du  peuple.  On  enregistreroit  I'aage, 
la  force  &  la  qualite  des  habitans,  &  ainsi  on  cognois- 
troit  combien  on  pourroit  foumir  &  entretenir  des 
gens  de  guerre  en  vne  necessite.  Le  dernier  Em- 
pereur  de  Constantinople  voyant  que  le  Turc  s'ap- 
prestoit  pour  enuahir  son  est  at,  s'aduisa,  mais  bien 
tard,  de  faire  vn  denombrement  de  sa  ville  capitale, 
ou  il  trouua  si  petit  nombre  de  combattans,  qu'il 
fut  contraict  de  le  celer,  enioignant  k  ceux  qui  en 
auoient  dresse  le  registre  de  le  tenir  secret.  Que  si 
d6s  le  commencement  de  son  Regne  il  eust  recogneu 
son  peuple,  il  eust  eu  loisir  d'y  pouruoir.    Or  laissant 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  266 

the  revenue.  For  one  is  not  satisfied  in  taxing  the 
poor  as  much  as  the  rich,  the  more  often  the  latter 
pay  nothing  and  the  former  bear  the  whole  burden. 
In  order  to  remedy  this  the  taxes  should  be  every- 
where on  realty,  as  they  are  in  Provence  and 
Languedoc,  or  mixed  as  they  were  in  the  city  of 
Rome,  where  each  one  paid  the  tax  according  to 
his  means,  of  which  he  made  a  declaration,  and  they 
punished  severely  those  who  hid  their  wealth. 
One  has  wished  recently  to  restore  this  custom, 
but  a  few  prevented  it  by  reasons  sufficiently 
frivolous.  For  the  Romans  succeeded  well  with  it, 
and  Titus  Livius  praises  it  as  the  finest  regulation 
and  the  most  wholesome  that  a  great  monarchy 
can  have,  since  by  this  census  one  sees  not  only 
its  wealth,  but  also  its  strength  which  consists  in 
the  number  of  the  people.  They  registered  the 
age,  the  strength  and  the  occupation  of  the  inhab- 
itants, and  thus  they  knew  how  much  they  could 
furnish  and  maintain  of  men  at  arms  in  a  case  of 
necessity.  The  last  Emperor  of  Constantinople 
seeing  that  the  Turk  was  preparing  to  invade  his 
State,  decided,  but  very  late,  to  take  a  census  of 
his  capital  city,  where  he  found  such  a  small  num- 
ber of  combatants,  that  he  was  forced  to  hide  it, 
telling  those  who  had  prepared  the  registration  to 
keep  it  a  secret.  But  if  from  the  beginning  of  his 
reign  he  had  known  about  his  people,  he  would  have 
had  time  to  provide  for  it.     Now  leaving  aside  the 


267  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

k  part  les  autres  vtilitez  qu'on  peut  tirer  du  de- 
nombrement  des  personnes  &  des  biens,  il  est 
ais6  h,  iuger,  comme  il  est  important  pour  le  faict 
dont  il  est  question,  afin  que  chacun  soit  cottise  h 
raison  de  ce  qu'il  peut  payer.  Autrement  les  pauures 
seront  iniquement  foulez  en  la  leuee  des  imposts, 
en  laquelle  il  se  trouue  encore  vn  autre  mal.  C'est 
que  les  deniers  passent  par  tant  de  mains,  speciale- 
171  ment  en  France,  qu'on  a  remonstre  n'ajgueres 
h  vn  de  nos  Roys,  que  d'vn  escu  il  n'entroit  pas  vn 
teston  en  ses  coffres,  le  reste  estant  employe  aux 
frais  des  officiers.  Les  Turcs  se  donnent  bien  garde 
de  cela,  &  ont  fort  peu  de  gens  qui  manient  les 
finances.  Mais  quoy?  ils  ne  vendent  point  les 
estats:  &  ne  les  font  hereditaires.  Conclusion. 
Ce  sont  deux  mauuais  pilliers  de  monarchic  que  les 
imposts  excessifs  &  la  venalite  des  offices.  Le 
Prince  a  d' autres  moyens  plus  legitimes:  &  quand 
il  n'auroit  que  son  domaine  &  ses  droicts  ordinaires, 
il  auroit  dequoy  magnifiquement  entretenir  son 
train,  sans  inuenter  nouueux  subsides.  Et  si  le 
domaine  est  engage  ou  aliene,  par  le  malheur  du 
temps  passe,  il  le  doibt  rachepter.  Car  on  s^ait 
qu'il  n'est  iamais  vendu  la  moitie  de  ce  qu'il  vaut, 
&  le  peuple  contribueroit  volontiers  pourvn  si  bon 
effet,  afin  d^estre  descharge  des  exactions  qu'il  sup- 
porte.  C'est  par  Ik  qu'vn  Prince  doit  commencer 
le   mesnage   de   ses   finances,    lesquelles   cependant 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  268 

other  utilities  that  can  be  obtained  from  a  census 
of  the  individuals  and  the  wealth,  it  is  easy  to 
judge,  how  important  it  is  for  the  fact  under  dis- 
cussion, in  order  that  each  one  shall  be  taxed  in 
proportion  to  what  he  can  pay.  Otherwise  the 
poor  will  be  iniquitously  crushed  in  the  raising  of 
the  taxes,  in  which  there  is  found  also  another 
evil.  It  is  that  the  moneys  pass  through  so  many 
hands,  specially  in  France,  that  it  was  demon- 
strated erstwhile  to  one  of  our  Kings,  that  of  an 
ecu  there  was  not  a  teston  entered  into  his  coffers, 
the  rest  being  employed  for  the  benefit  of  his  officers. 
The  Turks  take  good  care  of  that,  and  have  very 
few  people  who  attend  to  the  finances.  But  what? 
they  do  not  sell  the  States:  and  they  do  not  make 
them  hereditary.  Conclusion.  They  are  two  bad 
plunderers  of  a  monarchy  the  excessive  taxes  and 
the  venality  of  the  office  holders.  The  Prince  has 
many  other  more  legitimate  means:  even  if  he  had 
only  his  domain  and  his  ordinary  rights,  he  would 
have  enough  to  magnificently  maintain  his  court, 
without  inventing  new  subsidies.  And  if  the 
domain  is  engaged  or  alienated,  by  the  mishaps  of 
past  times,  he  should  buy  it  back.  For  one  knows 
that  it  is  never  sold  for  the  half  which  it  is  worth, 
and  the  people  would  willingly  pay  towards  so  good 
a  result,  in  order  to  be  discharged  of  the  burdens 
which  it  supports.  It  is  thereby  that  a  Prince  must 
begin  the  husbanding  of  his  finances,  which  however, 


269  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

il  peut  augmenter  honnestement  parvne  imposition 
sur   les    marchandises    qui    se    transporteront   hors 

172  de  son  pays,  &  sur  celles  qui  y]  seront  apportees. 
Vn  Prince  doibt  auoir  part  au  profit  de  ceux  qui 
trafiquent  en  sa  seigneurie,  ou  des  biens  d'icelle.  Et 
si  les  marchandises  qui  se  transportent  sont  neces- 
saires  a  la  vie  humaine,  il  n'y  a  point  de  danger 
qu'il  mette  sus  elles  vn  bon  impost,  comme  aussi 
sur  les  delicatesses,  friandises  &  superfluitez  qui 
seront  apportees  en  son  Royaume.  En  quoy  il 
n'est  pas  besoing  de  faire  distinction  entre  le  mar- 
chand  subiect  &  I'estranger,  comme  plusieurs 
Princes  font  auiourd'huy.  Car  la  condition  du 
trafic  doibt  estre  par  tout  esgalle,  principalement 
en  vne  paix  vniuerselle,  ou  il  est  question  de  se 
maintenir  en  bonne  intelligence  auec  tout  le  monde. 
Mais  si  le  Prince  veut  bien  faire  son  profit,  il  tra- 
fiquera,  &  aura  des  vaisseux  sur  mer  pour  negotier 
aussi  bien  que  les  particuliers.  Pourquoy  ne 
prendra-il  pas  le  train  dVn  marchand  plustost 
que  d'vn  tyran  ou  exacteur?  C'est  folie  de  penser 
que  la  negotiation  deroge  k  la  noblesse.  Cela  est 
bon  a  dire  pour  des  merciers,  tauerniers,  &  autres 
petits  courtaux  de  boutique,  &  non  pour  des  hom- 

173  mes]  qui  enuoyent  leurs  facteurs  en  diuerses  pro- 
uinces,  pour  faire  vn  porfit  honneste  en  accom- 
modant  le  public.  Aussi  beaucoup  de  Princes 
auiourd'huy  se  mocquent  de  tel  scrupule,  reco- 
gnoissans  qu'il  n'y  a  gain  plus  legitime  que  ce- 
luy  du  trafic.  le  ne  parle  point  de  la  pesche 
des    perles,    ny    des    mines,    dont    plusieurs    Roys 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  270 

he  can  honestly  augment  by  a  tax  on  merchandise 
that  is  transported  out  of  his  country,  and  on 
those  that  are  brought  to  it.  A  Prince  should 
have  a  part  in  the  profit  of  those  who  trade  in  his 
lordship,  or  in  its  wealth.  And  if  the  merchandise 
that  is  transported  is  necessary  to  human  life, 
there  is  no  danger  that  he  places  upon  them  a  big 
tax,  nor  also  on  the  delicacies,  dainties,  and  super- 
fluities that  are  brought  into  his  Kingdom.  In 
which  there  is  no  need  to  make  a  distinction  be- 
tween a  merchant  subject  and  the  stranger,  as 
several  Princes  do  to-day.  For  the  condition  of 
commerce  must  everywhere  be  equal,  chiefly  in 
a  universal  peace,  where  the  question  is  to  main- 
tain one's  self  in  good  intelligence  with  all  the 
world.  But  if  the  Prince  wishes  to  make  good  his 
profit,  he  will  trade,  and  will  have  vessels  on  the 
sea  to  negotiate  as  well  as  the  individuals.  Why 
should  he  not  follow  rather  the  course  of  a  merchant 
than  that  of  a  tyrant  or  executioner?  It  is  folly 
to  think  that  commerce  degrades  nobility.  That 
is  all  very  well  to  say  for  haberdashers,  tavern 
keepers,  and  other  little  shopkeepers,  and  not  for 
men  who  send  their  agents  in  various  provinces, 
to  make  an  honest  profit  by  serving  the  public. 
Also  many  Princes  to-day  mock  at  such  scruples, 
recognizing  that  there  is  no  gain  more  legitimate 
than  that  of  trade.  I  do  not  speak  of  the  pearl 
fishery,  nor  of  the  mines,  from  which  several  Kings 


271  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

tirent  de  grands  profits:  ny  des  confiscations  & 
autres  parties  casuelles,  qui  peuuent  fort  augmenter 
leurs  thresors.  lis  ont  aussi  vn  autre  moyen  iadis 
pratiqu6  par  les  Empereurs  de  Rome,  k  sgauoir 
de  bailler  argent  h  interest  k  raison  du  denier- 
vingt,  en  prenant  bonne  caution.  Cela  seroit  gran- 
dement  vtile  aux  pauures:  car  ils  ne  seroient 
point  rangonnez  par  les  vsuriers,  &  trafiqueroient 
de  r  argent  du  Prince  en  pay  ant  vn  leger  in- 
terest. D'ailleurs  le  Prince  y  gaigneroit  beaucoup 
s'il  prestoit  vne  somme  notable,  &  metroit  ses 
finances  en  seurete.  Mais  il  faudroit  premiere- 
ment  desgager  son  domaine,  attendu  qu'il  n'y  a 
pas  d'apparence  de  prester  quand  on  doit,  encore 
moins  de  faire  prouision  de  grains,  comme  il  est 
174  necessaire  pour]  obuier  k  la  disette  &  necessite 
publique  qui  peut  suruenir.  Aussi  c'estoit  le  plus 
grand  soing  qu'eussent  les  magistrats  Romains 
d'auoir  des  magazins  de  bled  qu'ils  faisoient 
venir  de  tous  costez,  specialement  d'Afrique  & 
d'Egypte,  dont  I'vne  leur  en  fournissoit  tous 
les  ans  pour  huict  mois,  &  I'autre  pour  quatre. 
Que  si  d'auenture  le  bled  estoit  cher  outre 
mesure,  ils  encouroient  la  hayne  du  peuple,  qui 
crioit  apres  eux  &  souuent  les  attaquoit  en 
leurs  personnes,  en  leur  iettant  de  la  boiie,  des 
pierres,  ou  du  fumier,  comme  il  fit  au  consul 
Bibulus.  II  n'espargnoit  pas  mesme  les  Empe- 
reurs. Tesmoing  Claudius,  k  qui  on  ietta  des  bribes 
de  pain  auec  iniures  atroces  en  plein  march^, 
&    s'il    ne    se   fut    sauu^,    il    couroit    plus   grande 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  272 

draw  much  profit:  nor  of  confiscations  and  other 
casual  things  which  may  greatly  augment  their 
treasury.  They  have  also  another  means  for- 
merly practiced  by  the  Emperors  of  Rome,  to 
wit,  to  loan  money  at  interest  at  the  rate  of  one 
twentieth,  and  taking  good  security.  That  would 
be  very  useful  to  the  poor:  for  they  would  not  be 
fleeced  by  the  usurers,  and  they  would  use  the 
money  of  the  Prince  by  paying  a  small  interest. 
Moreover  the  Prince  would  gain  much  thereby  if 
he  lent  a  large  sum,  and  placed  his  finances  in 
safety.  But  it  would  be  necessary  first  to  free  his 
domain,  since  there  is  no  chance  of  lending  when 
one  owes,  still  less  to  make  provisions  of  grain,  as 
is  necessaiy  to  avoid  famine  and  public  difficulties 
that  may  arise.  And  indeed  it  was  the  greatest 
care  of  the  Roman  magistrates  to  have  stores  of 
wheat  that  they  had  caused  to  come  from  all  sides, 
especially  from  Africa  [Tunis]  and  Egypt,  of  which 
the  one  furnished  them  every  year  for  eight 
months,  and  the  other  for  four.  And  if  perchance 
the  wheat  was  too  excessively  dear,  they  aroused 
the  hatred  of  the  people,  who  cried  after  them  and 
often  attacked  their  persons,  by  throwing  mud  or 
stones,  or  manure  at  them,  as  they  did  at  the  Con- 
sul Bibulus.  They  did  not  spare  even  the  Em- 
perors. Witness  Claudius,  at  whom  they  threw 
hunches  of  bread  garnished  with  terrible  curses  in 
the  open  market  place,  and  if  he  had  not  i*un  him- 


273  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

fortune.  Le  bon  Antonin  receut  des  coups  de  pierre 
en  vne  semblable  mutinerie,  laquelle  on  peut  pre- 
uenir,  si  k  I'exemple  de  loseph  on  faict  prouision 
de  bled  pour  plusieurs  annees,  qui  soit  diligem- 
ment  garde  &  renouuele  es  greniers  publics  qui 
pour  cet  effects  seront  establis  en  chaque  ville, 
175  comme  ils  estoient  iadis]  &  sont  encore  en  quel- 
ques  citez  bien  policees.  Mais  il  n'est  pas  ex- 
pedient de  donner  gratuitement  le  bled,  selon 
la  coustume  de  Rome,  d'autant  que  cela  causeroit 
vne  oisiuete  au  peuple,  &  espuiseroit  les  finances: 
encore  moins  faut  il  imiter  Nicephore  Phocas 
qui  renplissoit  ses  greniers  de  froment  &  le  re- 
uendoit  k  son  plaisir  en  la  chere  annee.  II  suffit 
d'en  faire  vn  amas  pour  le  distribuer  k  iuste  prix 
en  vn  temps  de  sterilite,  &  famine.  En  quoy 
le  Prince  monstrera  sa  preuoyance  &  le  soing 
qu'il  a  de  ses  subiects,  qui  grondent,  quand  ils 
ne  voient  point  le  bled  au  marche,  &  imputent 
k  leur  souuerain  le  malheur  dVne  annee,  comme 
s'il  deuoit  estre  garand  de  la  temperature  de  I'air 
&  faueur  du  ciel.  Et  de  faict  les  Roys  des  Indes 
s'obligent  par  serment  solemnel  k  leur  sacre,  de  faire 
en  sorte  que  le  Soleil  continuera  son  cours,  &  la 
terre  produira  vne  abondance  de  fruicts.  II  faut 
done  contenter  le  peuple  de  ce  coste  la,  veu 
que  sur  toutes  choses  il  demande  du  pain  & 
des   ieux,    selon   le   dire   du   poete   satyrique.      Ce 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  274 

self,  he  might  have  had  to  face  much  worse.  The 
good  Antonius  was  hit  by  many  stones  in  a  riot  of 
this  kind,  which  can  be  avoided,  if  according  to  the 
example  of  Joseph  one  makes  provision  of  wheat 
for  several  years,  which  is  carefully  guarded  and 
renewed  in  public  granaries  which  for  this  purpose 
should  be  established  in  each  city  as  they  were 
formerly,  and  are  still  in  a  few  well  regulated  cities. 
But  it  is  not  expedient  to  give  gratuitously  wheat, 
according  to  the  custom  of  Rome,  since  that  would 
cause  idleness  among  the  people,  and  would  ex- 
haust the  finances:  still  less  must  one  imitate 
Nicephorus  Phocas  who  filled  his  granaries  with 
wheat  and  resold  it  at  his  pleasure  in  the  years 
when  it  was  expensive.  It  suffices  to  amass  enough 
to  distribute  it  at  a  fair  price  in  a  time  of  sterility, 
and  famine.  In  which  the  Prince  will  show  his 
foresight  and  the  care  that  he  has  of  his  subjects, 
who  scold,  when  they  do  not  see  wheat  in  the  mar- 
ket, and  impute  to  their  sovereign  the  mishap  of  a 
year,  as  if  he  should  be  answerable  for  the  tempera- 
ture of  the  air  and  favor  of  the  heavens.  And  in 
fact  the  Kings  of  the  Indies  bind  themselves  by 
solemn  oath  when  at  their  coronation,  to  so  act 
that  the  sun  shall  continue  on  its  course,  and  the 
earth  shall  produce  an  abundance  of  fruits.  It  is 
necessary  therefore  to  content  the  people  on  that 
side,  seeing  that  beyond  everything  they  demand 
bread  and  games,  according  to  the  saying  of  the 


275  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qui  vient  a  propos  pour  nostre  sixiesme  moyen,  k 

1 76  sgauoir  recreajtion  licite,  enlaquelle  il  est  bon  d'en- 
tretenir  les  hommes  pour  les  diuertir  des  mauuaises 
pensees.  Car  puis  que  tous  le  monde  se  porte 
naturellement  k  lavolupte,  c'est  prudence  k  vn 
Prince  de  donner  ou  permettre  a  son  peuple  quel- 
que  honneste  passetemps  &  plasir  licite,  speciale- 
ment  les  ieiix  de  prix,  les  spectacles  du  theatre, 
&  autres  exercices  recreatifs,  qui  ne  diminuent 
point  le  partrimoine,  profit ent  aux  corps,  &  ap- 
portent  du  contentement  k  1' esprit.  A  ceste  fin 
tendoient  les  combats  de  luicte,  de  course,  &  les 
concerts  de  Poesie  &  musique  anciennement  vsitez, 
non  seulement  pour  fortifier  le  corps  &  exciter 
I'industrie  de  ceux  qui  contest oient,  mais  aussi 
pour  resiouir  les  assistans.  Les  tragedies  &  come- 
dies auoient  vn  mesme  but,  esquelles  les  Atheniens 
employ  oient  le  reuenu  de  leur  hostel  de  ville,  & 
eslisoient  vn  magistrat  particulier  pour  fournir  aux 
frais  des  basteleurs.  Les  Romains  les  imitoient  voire 
les  surpassoient  en  cela.  Car  outre  le  plaisir  qu'ils 
prenoient  aux  ieux  du  theatre,  ils  auoient  les  spec- 

177  tales  de  la  carriere,  du  Colisee  des]  Naumachies, 
que  les  Magistrats  faisoient  magnifiquement  rep- 
resenter  k  I'enui  I'vn  de  I'autre.  Plusieurs  re- 
prouuent  les  comedies,  comme  pernicieuses  aux 
bonnes  meurs  k  cause  de  leur  lasciuete.  Les  Mas- 
siliens  les  auoient  en  horreur,  &  les  defendoient 
expressement.       Mais    leur    consideration     n'estoit 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  276 

satirical  poet.  This  leads  to  our  sixth  method, 
to  wit,  lawftd  recreation,  with  which  it  is  well  to 
keep  men  entertained  in  order  to  divert  them  from 
bad  thoughts.  For  since  all  the  world  tends  natur- 
ally towards  voluptuousness,  it  is  prudent  in  a 
Prince  to  give  or  permit  his  people  some  honest 
pastimes  and  legitimate  pleasures,  specially  the 
games  for  prizes,  the  shows  of  the  theater  and  other 
recreative  exercises,  which  do  not  diminish  the 
patrimony,  do  good  to  the  body,  and  bring  con- 
tentment to  the  mind.  To  this  end  tended  the 
contests  of  wrestling,  of  racing,  and  the  concerts  of 
poetry  and  music  common  in  the  olden  times,  not 
only  to  strengthen  the  bodies  and  excite  the  industry 
of  those  who  contested,  but  also  to  rejoice  the 
spectators.  The  tragedies  and  comedies  had  a 
similar  aim,  to  which  the  Athenians  employed  the 
revenue  of  their  city  hall,  and  elected  a  magistrate 
especially  to  provide  for  the  cost  of  the  contestants. 
The  Romans  imitated  them,  even  surpassed  them  in 
that.  For  besides  the  pleasure  that  they  took  in 
the  plays  of  the  theater,  they  had  the  shows  of  the 
racecourse,  of  the  Coliseum,  of  the  Naumachia, 
which  the  magistrates  caused  to  be  magnificently 
carried  out,  each  trying  to  surpass  the  other.  Some 
condemn  the  comedies,  as  being  pernicious  to 
good  morals  because  of  their  lasciviousness.  The 
MassiHans  held  them  in  horror,  and  expressly  for- 
bade  them.     But   their   judgment   was   not   good. 


277  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

pas  vallable.  Car  il  ne  faut  iamais  rebuter  vne 
chose  pour  vn  abus  qui  s'y  commet.  Que 
s'il  eschappe  aux  basteleurs  parmy  tant  de  dis- 
cours  vn  traict  lascif,  leur  art  pour  cela  n'en  doibt 
pas  estre  moins  estime,  veu  qu'il  n'est  qu'vn  image 
de  la  vie,  vne  representation  de  ce  qui  se  faict, 
&  non  pas  vne  exhortation  de  ce  qui  se  doit  faire. 
N'est-il  pas  ridicule,  de  blasmer  la  comedie,  & 
en  donner  le  subiect,  de  se  plaire  aux  actions 
vitieuses,  &  det  ester  les  paroles  des  mesme 
qualite  ?  Les  hommes  ne  sortent  point  du  thea- 
tre plus  mal  morigerez.  II  sont  corrompus  aupa- 
rauant  que  d'y  venir.  Qu'ils  se  reforment  bien  en 
leur  maison:  on  ne  fera  plus  de  farce  ny  de  come- 
die. Qu'ils  donnent  bon  exemple  a  leur  famille, 
il  n'auront  dequoy  craindre  la  corruption  de  la] 
178  ieunesse.  Mais  tandis  qu'ils  feront  des  mes- 
chancetez  ou  vilenies,  il  sera  besoing  de  les  mettre 
en  euidence,  afin  que  le  peuple  les  euite,  ou  s'en 
mocque.  Telle  recreation  est  approuuee  par  Aris- 
tote,  &  mesmes  les  principaux  Docteurs  des  Chres- 
tiens  la  recommandent  auec  certaines  modifica- 
tions, comme  chose  tres-necessaire.  Pource  que 
I'homme  estant  compose  d'ame  &  de  corps,  &  ces 
deux  substances  estans  bornees  elles  ne  peuuent 
pas  supporter  vn  perpetuel  trauail:  partant  il 
leur  faut  donner  quelque  relasche,  &  delectation, 
laquelle  on  ne  leur  peut  mieux  procurer  que  par  les 
ieux  du  theatre,  qui  resiouissent  egalement  la  veue 
&  I'ouye;  en  quoy  consistent  les  voluptez  que  les 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  278 

For  one  must  never  harshly  reject  a  thing  be- 
cause an  abuse  is  committed  in  it.  For  if  there 
escapes  from  the  montebanks  among  so  many 
discourses  some  wanton  speech,  their  art  must  not 
on  that  account  be  esteemed  less,  seeing  that  it  is 
only  an  image  of  life,  a  representation  of  what 
happens,  and  not  an  exhortation  of  what  should 
be  done.  Is  it  not  ridiculous  to  blame  comedy, 
and  to  abuse  the  subject,  to  please  one's  self  with 
vicious  actions,  and  detest  the  words  of  the  same 
qualities?  Men  do  not  go  out  of  the  theater  more 
badly  disposed.  They  are  corrupted  before  going 
there.  Let  them  reform  themselves  well  in  their 
household:  they  would  make  no  more  farces  or 
comedies.  Let  them  give  good  example  to  their 
family,  they  w411  have  no  cause  to  fear  the  corrup- 
tion of  youth.  But  as  long  as  they  commit  wrongs 
or  evil  actions,  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  them  out, 
so  that  the  people  may  avoid  them,  or  mock  at  them. 
Such  recreation  is  approved  by  Aristotle,  and  even 
the  chief  doctors  of  the  Christians  recommend  it 
with  certain  modifications,  as  a  very  necessary 
thing.  Because  man  being  composed  of  soul  and 
body,  and  these  two  substances  being  limited  they 
cannot  bear  continuous  work:  therefore  some  let 
up  must  be  given  them,  and  delectation,  which  one 
cannot  better  offer  them  than  by  the  plays  of  the 
theater,  which  rejoice  equally  sight  and  hearing; 
in   which   consist   the   pleasures   that    the    philoso- 


279  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

Philosophes  appellent  humaines,  afin  de  les  dis- 
tinguer  des  voluptez  brut  ales,  k  sgauoir  celles 
du  goust  &  de  rattouchement.  Bref  on  ne  doit 
interdire  ce  passetemps,  puis  que  le  sage  So- 
crate  vient  ouir  le  bouffon  Aristophane,  &  le 
graue  Caton  desire  voir  les  florales.  Toutesfois 
pour  donner  plaisir  sans  scandale,  rien  ne  me  semble 

179  plus]  propre  que  la  musique,  de  laquelle  tout  homme 
est  amoureux,  except ez  quelques  mechaniques  ou 
bien  ceux  qui  ont  Tame  mal  disposee.  Certaine- 
ment  nos  esprit  ont  vne  grande  inclination  a  I'har- 
monie,  &  goustent  sa  douceur  auec  plus  d' atten- 
tion &  rauissement  que  toute  autre  chose.  Ses  mer- 
ueilleux  effects  ont  contrainct  les  deux  plus  poli- 
tiques  Philosophes  de  dire  que  pour  regler  les  moeurs 
il  falloit  apporter  vn  reglement  k  la  musique,  & 
que  d'icelle  dependoit  la  manutention  d'vn  est  at. 
le  ne  m'arresteray  pas  a  examiner  ceste  maxime, 
mais  il  faut  aduoiier  qu'il  n'y  a  chose  qui  puisse 
plus  addoucir  les  hommes  &  les  rendre  paisibles. 
Tesmoing  ce  peuple  d'Arcadie,  qui  deuint  farouche 
&  cruel,  pour  auoir  quitte  la  musique,  en  laquelle 
selon  la  coustume  du  pays  vn  chacun  estoit  tenu 
de  s'exercer  iusques  k  I'aage  de  t rente  ans.  A  quoy 
I'Empereur  Solyman  deuoit  penser,  lors  que  le 
Roy  Francois  premier  luy  enuoya  par  forme  de 
present  des  chantres  auec  luths,  violes,  &  musique 
choisie.     II  eut  quelque  temps  la  patience  de  les 

180  ouyr;    mais  voyant  que  sa  cour  y  prenoit]  plaisir,  il 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS. 


280 


phers  call  human,  so  as  to  distinguish  them  from 
the  brutal  pleasures,  to  wit,  those  of  the  taste  and  of 
the  touch.     Briefly  one   must   not   stop  this  pas- 
time,  since  the  wise   Socrates  comes  to  hear  the 
buffoon  Aristophanes,  and  the  grave  Cato  desires  to 
see  the  floral  games.     Nevertheless  to  give  pleasure 
without  scandal,  nothing  seems  to  me  more  appro- 
priate than  music,  of  which  every  man  is  an  ad- 
mirer, except  a  few  mechanical  ones  or  those  who 
have  deranged  minds.     Certainly  our  souls  have  a 
great  incHnation  towards  harmony,   and  taste  its 
sweetness  with  more  attention  and  charm  than  any 
other  thing.     Its  marvelous  effects  have  forced  the 
two  most  politic  philosophers  to  say  that  in  order 
to  regulate  morals  it  was  necessary  to  give  a  regu- 
lation to  music,  and  that  from  this  depended  the 
maintenance    of   the    State.     I    shall   not    stop    to 
examine  this  maxim,  but  one  must  avow  that  there 
is  nothing  that  can  more  soften  men  and  render 
them  peaceable.     Witness  that  people  of  Arcadia, 
which   became   ferocious   and   cruel,    because   they 
had  abandoned  music,  in  which  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country  every  one  was  required  to 
practice  himself  until  the  age  of  thirty  years.     Of 
what  must   the   Emperor   Solyman  have  thought, 
when  King  Francis  the  First  sent  him  as  a  present 
singers  with  lutes,  violas  and  selected  music.     He 
had  the  patience  to  Hsten  to  them  for  some  time; 
but  seeing  that  his  court  took  pleasure  in  it,   he 


281  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

renuoya  les  musiciens,  &  fit  letter  dans  le  feu  leurs 
instrumens  &  leurs  liures.  Ceste  action  est  barbare, 
&  a  pour  fondement  vne  fausse  opinion  a  sgauoir, 
que  la  musique  rend  les  hommes  effeminez,  comme 
si  Achilles  eust  perdu  sa  generosite  en  ioiiant  de  sa 
lyre,  ou  les  Lacedemoniens  eussent  este  moins  vaillans 
qui  alloient  au  combat  au  son  des  flustes.  La 
musique  n'emousse  aucunement  la  pointe  des  coura- 
ges, au  contraire  elle  nous  anime  a  la  vertu  par 
vn  secret  enthousiasme,  en  touchant  I'ame  d'vn 
celeste  plasir,  &  desracinant  peu  h  peu  toute  in- 
humanite  &  felonnie.  Le  vulgaire  appelle  cela 
delicatesse  &  laschete,  en  quoy  il  se  trompe,  at- 
tendu  que  ces  vices  n'ont  rien  de  commun  auec 
la  douceur  &  mansuetude,  vertus  conuenables  a 
I'homme.  Et  quand  la  musique  apportera  quel- 
que  alteration  aux  meurs,  comme  les  choses  les 
plus  salutaires  aucunes  fois  sont  mal  appliquees 
par  la  faute  de  ceux  qui  en  vsent,  ce  sera  le  de- 
uoir  des  censeurs  d'y  apporter  remede,  aussi  bien 
qu'aux  autres  abus.  Ce  magistrat  est  necessaire 
181  pour  I'accomplistement]  d'vne  parfaicte  police. 
Sa  charge  consist e  k  faire  le  denombrement,  &  k 
reformer  les  moeurs.  Quant  au  denombrement 
nous  en  auons  monstre  les  vtilitez.  Mais  la  re- 
formation est  encore  de  plus  grande  consequence. 
Car  on  ne  peut  bien  esperer  d'vn  Royaume,  ou 
les  meurs  sont  desreglees.  Les  iuges  n'y  donnent 
point  ordre,  pour  ce  qu'ils  ne  punissent  que  les 
crimes,  &  passent  par  conniuence  beaucoup  de  vices 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  282 

sent  back  the  musicians,  and  had  the  instruments 
and  the  books  thrown  into  the  fire.  This  action  is 
barbarous,  and  has,  for  its  base  a  false  notion,  to 
wit,  that  music  renders  men  effeminate,  as  if 
Achilles  would  have  lost  his  generosity  in  playing 
on  his  lyre,  or  the  Lacedemonians  would  have  been 
less  valiant  because  they  advanced  to  combat  to 
the  sound  of  flutes.  Music  does  not  blunt  in  any 
way  the  shafts  of  courage,  on  the  contrary  it  urges 
us  to  virtue  by  a  secret  enthusiasm,  by  touching 
the  soul  with  a  celestial  pleasure,  and  uprooting 
little  by  little  all  inhumanity  and  felony.  The 
vulgar  calls  that  weakness  and  cowardice,  in  which 
he  is  mistaken,  since  those  vices  have  nothing  in 
common  with  sweetness  and  modesty,  virtues  be- 
fitting man.  And  even  if  music  should  bring  some 
changes  in  morals,  as  the  most  wholesome  things 
are  sometimes  ill  applied  by  the  fault  of  those  who 
make  use  of  them,  it  will  be  the  duty  of  the  cen- 
sors to  bring  a  remedy  to  this,  as  well  as  to  the  other 
abuses.  This  magistrate  is  necessary  for  the  carry- 
ing out  of  a  proper  policy.  His  work  consists  in 
taking  the  census,  and  in  reforming  the  morals. 
As  for  the  census  we  have  shown  its  usefulness.  But 
the  reformation  is  of  still  greater  consequence.  For 
one  cannot  have  much  hope  for  a  kingdom  where 
the  morals  are  irregular.  The  judges  do  not  attend 
to  this,  because  they  only  punish  crimes,  and  over- 
look   through    connivance    many    vices    which    in- 


283  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qui  minent  insensiblement  vn  est  at.  lis  ne  con- 
treroolent  point  les  enfans  desobeissans  k  leur 
pere,  ils  laissent  viure  k  la  desbandade  les  ruf- 
iens,  maquereaux,  pariures,  ioiieurs,  breslandiers, 
yurongnes,  querelleux,  &  faineans.  Et  neant- 
moins  de  telles  gens  viennent  les  seditions  &  mines 
des  republiques.  le  sgay  bien  qu'il  ne  les  faut 
pas  punir  si  rigoureusement  que  les  voleurs  & 
meurtriers:  ausi  la  puissance  des  censeurs  ne 
s'estend  pas  iusques-la  que  de  condamner  k  mort 
ny  mesme  k  emprisonnement.  Tout  ce  qu'ils  pou- 
uoient  faire  k  Rome,  c'est  de  noter  publiquement 
ceux  qui  viuoient  mal,  en  degradant  vn  chacun 
182  selon  sa  qualite.  Si]  le  delinquant  estoit  Sena- 
teur,  ils  luy  defendoient  I'entree  du  conseil:  ils 
ostoient  I'ordre  k  vn  cheualier,  &  le  droict  de  bour- 
geoisie k  vn  simple  citoyen.  Ceste  ignominie  faisoit 
plus  d 'effect  que  toutes  les  loix  &  ordonnances 
des  iuges:  car  encore  qu'elle  fit  plus  de  honte 
que  de  mal,  il  ne  se  trouuoit  homme  si  effronte 
qui  ne  redoutast  le  iugement  du  Censeur.  II  est 
vray  que  ce  magistrat  n' estoit  donne  qu'k  ceux 
qui  auoient  de  Fauthorite  pour  leur  aage  &  preud' 
hommie.  L' apprehension  du  dehsonneur  sert  de 
bride  pour  arrester  les  plus  meschans:  &  encore 
qu'ils  f assent  profession  d 'impudence,  si  est-ce 
que  plusieurs  ne  veulent  pas  estre  recogneus 
tels  qu'ils  sont,  ny  estre  exposez  k  la  mocquerie 
du  peuple,  comme  ils  seroient  apres  auoir  este 
biffez  &  ignominieusement  traictez  par  les  censeurs. 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  284 

sensibly  undermine  a  State.  They  do  not  control 
children  disobedient  to  their  father,  they  allow  ruf- 
fians to  live  helter-skelter,  pimps,  perjurers,  game- 
sters, gamblers,  drunkards,  wranglers,  and  idlers. 
And  nevertheless  from  such  people  come  the  sedi- 
tions and  the  ruin  of  republics.  I  know  well  that 
they  must  not  be  punished  so  rigorously  as  rob- 
bers and  murderers:  also  that  the  power  of  the 
censors  does  not  extend  so  far  as  to  condemn  to 
death  nor  even  to  imprisonment.  All  that  they 
could  do  at  Rome,  was  to  note  publicly  those  who 
lived  badly,  by  degrading  each  one  according  to 
his  quality.  If  the  delinquent  was  Senator,  they 
forbade  him  the  entry  to  the  council:  they  took 
away  his  rank  from  a  knight,  and  the  burgher 
right  from  a  simple  citizen.  This  ignominy  had 
more  effect  than  all  the  laws  and  ordinances  of  the 
judges:  for  even  though  it  caused  more  shame 
than  injury,  there  was  not  a  man  so  bold  that  he 
did  not  dread  the  judgment  of  the  censor.  It  is 
true  that  that  office  was  not  given  except  to  those 
who  had  authority  through  their  age  and  goodness. 
The  apprehension  of  dishonor  serves  as  a  check  to 
halt  the  most  wicked:  and  even  if  they  make  pro- 
fession of  impudence,  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  many  do 
not  wish  to  be  recognized  for  what  they  are,  nor 
be  exposed  to  the  mockery  of  the  people,  as  they 
would  be  after  having  been  scratched  out  and 
ignominiously  treated  by  the  censors.     One  would 


285  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

On  verroit  alors  ces  vauriens  aller  la  teste 
baissee,  n'oser  paroistre  en  compagnie:  on  les 
monstreroit  au  doigt,  afin  de  les  fuir  comme 
pestes.  Ce  qui  seruiroit  d'exemple  pour  apprendre 
k    viure     honnestement.     Quelqu'vn     pourra    dire 

183  que  ce  temps  ne  regoit  pas  vne]  telle  seuerite,  & 
que  les  hommes  d'auiourd'huy  ne  se  gouuernent 
pas  k  la  fagon  des  anciens.  Et  ie  responds  que 
ceste  maxime  est  fausse,  &  contraire  a  1' experience, 
k  la  raison,  &  k  I'au thorite  du  sage  qui  nous  en- 
seigne.  Que  Hen  ne  se  voit  nouueau  souhs  le-  So- 
leil.  Les  actions  &  euenemens  sont  nouueaux 
en  leur  indiuidu,  mais  les  especes  ont  tousiours 
este  comme  k  present.  Les  mesmes  causes  qui 
ont  iadis  conserue  les  monarchies,  les  peuuent 
encore  maintenir,  &  aussi  elles  se  ruinent  par  les 
mesmes  moyens  que  le  temps  passe.  C'est  vne 
laschete  de  courage  ou  vne  malice  extreme  de 
voir  le  desordre,  &  n'y  vouloir  appliquer  le  remede, 
&  quand  on  propose  quelque  expedient  d'alleguer 
pour  toute  raison,  que  c'est  vne  police  du  vieil 
temps.  Telles  reparties  sont  familieres  k  ceux 
qui  ne  sgauent  que  dire,  ou  qui  ne  trouuent  rien 
de  bon,  que  ce  qui  vient  de  leur  ceruelle.  Aussi 
ce  n'est  pas  k  eux  k  qui  on  doit  demander  con- 
seil,  touchant  le  restablissement  de  la  censure. 
S'il  est  question  de  confisquer  les  mauuaises  mar- 

184  chandises,]  on  ne  prendra  pas  conseil  de  ceux  qui 
les  vendent.  Quand  les  legislateurs  ont  ordonne 
des  peines,  ils  n'ont  pas  consider^  les  affec- 
tions des  coulpables,  &  ne  leur  ont  pas  demande 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  286 

see  then  those  scamps  go  with  downcast  head,  not 
daring  to  appear  in  society :  one  would  point  them 
out  with  the  finger,  in  order  to  flee  from  them  Hke 
a  pestilence,  which  would  serve  as  an  example  to 
learn  to  live  honestly.  Some  one  may  say  that 
this  present  time  does  not  need  such  severity,  and 
that  the  men  of  to-day  are  not  governed  in  the 
manner  of  the  ancients.  And  I  reply  that  this 
maxim  is  false,  and  contrary  to  experience,  reason, 
and  the  authority  of  the  sage  who  taught  us.  That 
nothing  new  is  seen  under  the  sun.  Actions  and 
events  are  new  in  each  individual  case,  but  the 
species  have  always  been  the  same  as  at  present. 
The  same  causes  that  formerly  preserved  mon- 
archies, can  still  maintain  them,  and  also  they  are 
ruined  by  the  same  means  as  in  the  past.  It  is  a 
want  of  courage  or  an  extreme  maliciousness  to  see 
disorder,  and  not  wish  to  apply  to  it  a  remedy,  and 
when  one  proposes  some  expedient,  to  declare  for 
sole  reason,  that  it  is  a  regulation  of  ancient  times. 
Such  answers  are  familiar  to  those  who  do  not  know 
what  to  say,  or  who  find  nothing  good,  except  what 
comes  from  their  own  brain.  Therefore  it  is  not  to 
them  that  one  must  turn  for  advice  as  regards  the 
re-establishment  of  the  censorship.  If  it  is  a  ques- 
tion of  confiscating  bad  merchandises,  one  would 
not  take  advice  from  those  who  sell  them.  When 
the  legislators  have  ordered  punishments,  they  did 
not  consider  the  desires  of  the  guilty,  and  did  not 


287  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

aduis.     Que    les  Roys  done  remettent  la  censure, 
sans  auoir  esgard  a  ceux  qui  s'ytrouuent  interessez, 
&  qu'ils  ne  mettent  point  en  deliberation  s'il  faut 
reformer  les  meurs,  puis  que  c'est  vne  chose  neces- 
saire  qui  a  maintenu  si  long  temps  1' Empire  Ro- 
main,   &  de  laquelle  encore  auiourd'huy  quelques 
republiques    se    seruent.     Or   pour   bien   enfourner 
ceste  reformation  il   la  faut   commencer  par  I'in- 
struction  de  la  ieunesse,  de  laquelle  iadis  on  auoit 
tant  de  soing,   &  maintenant  on  n'en  tient  quasi 
conte,   pource   que   les   Magistrats   s'en  rapportent 
aux  parens,   &   ceux-cy  laschent  la  bride   h  leurs 
enfans.     Ce    qui    est    dautant    plus    dangereux    en 
ce  temps  que  la  puissance  des  peres  est  aneantie. 
Car   lors    qu'ils    auoient    authorite    souueraine    sur 
les   enfans,   ils   les   chastioient   selon  leur  volonte, 
&  mesmes  les  faisoient   mourir  sans   cognoissance 
185     de   cause,    la   iustice   presupposant   qu'vn]   homme 
ne  seroit  pas  si  desnature  de  battre  ou  tuer  son 
fils  sansvn  grand  subiet.     Maintenant  que  la  crainte 
de  ceste  puissance  paternelle  est  ostee,  &  que  les 
enfans   se  licentient   de  telle   sorte,    qu'ils  font  la 
loy  h  leurs  peres,  &  aucunesfois  les  outragent  d' ef- 
fect  ou   de   parole,    pour   euiter   les   malheurs   qui 
en    peuuent    arriuer,    il    faut    que    la    republique 
entreprenne  ceste  charge,  &  qu'elle  commette  des 
magistrats    pour    auoir    soing    particulier    de    ces 
ieunes   plantes,    afin    qu'elles    produisent    de    bon 
fruicts.     Les  Lacedemoniens  entendoient  bien  cela, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS. 


288 


ask  them  for  advice.     Let  the  Kings  then  restore 
the  censorship,  without  regard  for  those  who  are 
interested  in  it,  and  let  them  not  permit  to  be  de- 
bated whether  morals  should  be  reformed,  since  it 
is  a  necessary  thing  that  maintained  the  Roman 
Empire  such  a  long  time,  and  of  which  to-day  a 
few   repubhcs    still    make   use.     Now   to    properly 
start   this   reformation  it   must   be   begun  by   in- 
structing the  youth,   of  whom  formerly  one  took 
so  much  care,   and  now  of  which  one  now  takes 
scarcely  any,  because  the  magistrates  refer  this  mat- 
ter to  the  parents,  and  these  latter  give   a   loose 
rein  to  their  children.    Which  is  all  the  more  dan- 
gerous in  these  times  that  the  power  of  the  fathers 
is  crushed.     For  when  they  had  sovereign  author- 
ity over  the  children,  they  punished  them  according 
to  their  will,  and  even  caused  them  to  die  without 
knowing   the   reason,    justice   presupposing  that   a 
man  would  not  be  so  unnatural  as  to  beat  or  kill 
his  son  without  some  great  cause.     Now  that  the 
fear  of  this  paternal  punishment  is  taken  away, 
and  that  the  children  free  themselves  to  such  an 
extent,  that  they  lay  down  the  law  to  their  parents, 
and  sometimes  outrage  them  by  deed  or  word,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  evils  that  can  result  therefrom, 
the  repubhc  must  undertake  this  charge,  and  that 
it  commissions  magistrates  to  have  particular  care 
of  these  young  plants,  in  order  that  they  produce 
good  fruits.     The  Lacedemonians  understood  that 


289  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qui  ne  permettoient  pas  aux  peres  de  nourrir  leurs 
enfans  h  leur  mode,  mais  les  distribuoient  par 
bandes  des  I'aage  de  sept  ans,  &  les  donnoient  en 
charge  k  vn  Magistrat  estably  pour  cest  effect,  qui 
les  faisoit  boire  &  manger  ensemble  publiquement, 
&  les  accoustumoit  a  mesmes  exercices.  Mais 
ils  failloient  en  ce  qu'ils  ne  leur  monstroient 
principalement  qu'k  luicter,  &  k  se  battre.  Car 
outre  ce  que  la  luicte  est  trop  violente  &  peut 
facilement  gaster  le  tendre  corps  des  enfans, 
186  ils  apprenoient  k  deuenir  fiers,  querelleux]  &  bar- 
bares,  qui  sont  qualitez  indignes  d'vne  pu- 
blique  discipline.  Aristote  trouue  plus  k  propos 
de  les  instruire  aux  arts  liberaux.  Et  pour  en 
parler  plus  distinctement,  ie  conseillerois  que  ius- 
ques  k  quatorze  ans,  on  leur  fit  apprendre  a  lire, 
escrire,  &  compter:  d'auantage  qu'on  leur  don- 
nast  la  cognoissance  des  loix  &  antiquitez  de  leur 
pays,  k  la  fagon  des  enfans  Romains  qui  appre- 
noient par  coeur  les  loix  des  douze  tables.  Les 
Candiots  mettoient  leurs  ordonnances  en  musique, 
afin  de  les  faire  couler  dans  les  tendres  esprits 
auec  plus  de  facilite  &  plasir.  Outre  cela,  ils  leur 
monstroient  les  hymnes  composez  en  la  lotiange 
des  Dieux  &  des  hommes  illustres.  C'estoient 
toutes  legons  d'honneur,  &  qui  meritent  d'estre 
renouuellees.  Ie  serois  aussi  d'aduis  qu'on  en- 
seignast  aux  enfans  les  langues  estrangeres  qui 
ont  plus  de  vogue  parmy  leurs  compatriotes, 
comme    la    Grecque     &    Latine    entre    les    Chres- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  290 

well,   who  did  not  permit  the  fathers  to  nourish 
their  children  in  their  own  way,   but  distributed 
them  in  bands  at  the  age  of  seven,  and  gave  them 
in  charge  of  a  magistrate  appointed  for  that  pur- 
pose, who  made  them  drink  and  eat  together  pub- 
licly, and  accustomed  them  to  the  same  exercises. 
But  they  failed  in  that  they  did  not  show  them 
much  except  how  to  struggle,   and  to  fight.     For 
besides  that  wrestling  is  too  violent  and  can  easily 
injure  the  tender  body  of  children,  they  learnt  to 
become  proud,  quarrelsome  and  barbarous,  which  are 
qualities  unworthy  of  public  discipline.     Aristotle 
finds  it  more  to  the  point  to  instruct  them  in  the 
liberal  arts.     And  to  speak  more  distinctly  of  this 
I  should  counsel  that  until  the  age  of  fourteen  years, 
they  should  be  taught  to  read,  write,  and  count: 
in  addition  they  should  be  given  a  knowledge  of 
the  laws  and  antiquities  of  their  country,  accord- 
ing  to   the   fashion   of   the   Roman   children   who 
learnt  by  heart  the  laws  of  the  twelve  tables.     The 
Candiots  set  their  regulations  to  music,  in  order  to 
make  them  gUde  into  the  young  souls  with  more 
facility  and  pleasure.     Besides  that,  they  showed 
them  the  hymns  composed  in  praise  of  the  Gods 
and  of  the  illustrious  men.     These  were  all  lessons 
of  honor,  and  which  merit  to  be  renewed.     I  should 
also  be  of  the  opinion  that  the  children  be  taught 
foreign  languages   which   are   most  in  use   among 
their    compatriots,    like    Greek    and    Latin    among 


291  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

tiens,  8c  I'Arabique  entre  les  Mahumetains.  Ceste 
science  ne  leur  seroit  point  inutile,  elle  esclairciroit 
leurs  esprit s,  &  leur   apporteroit  du  content ement 

187  quand  ils  sejroient  plus  grands,  s'ils  vouloient  s'ad- 
uancer  plus  auant  es  estudes  de  Theologie,  mede- 
cine,  iurisprudence  &  Philosophic :  sinon,  ils  pourroi- 
ent  tousiours  se  vanter  de  n'auoir  point  passe  inutile- 
ment  leur  enfance,  comme  font  plusieurs  qui  sont 
accoustumez  des  le  berceau  k  niaiser  &  folastrer, 
en  sorte  qu'au  bout  du  temps  ils  ne  sgauent  que 
des  sotises.  Ne  vaut-il  pas  mieux  faire  gouster 
aux  enfans  les  bonnes  disciplines,  en  attendant 
qu'ils  soient  plus  robustes,  &  alors  il  sera  bon  de 
leur  faire  exercer  alternatiuement  le  corps  &  1' es- 
prit, afin  qu'ils  sgachent  non  seulement  bien  dire 
&  iuger  de  toutes  choses,  mais  aussi  se  defendre 
courageusement  en  vne  necessite.  A  ceste  fin 
depuis  quatorze  ans  ils  apprendont  k  manier  vn 
cheual,  nager,  sauter,  &  tirer  des  armes,  en  con- 
tinuant toutesfois  leurs  premiers  exercices  cy 
dessus  specifiez  iusques  k  I'aage  de  18.  ans.  Et 
alors  on  les  rendroit  k  leurs  peres,  qui  receuroient 
vn  extreme  plaisir.  Et  comme  les  Gaulois  ne 
vouloient  voir  leurs  enfans  qu'ils  ne  fussent  propres 
k    porter    les    armes,    aussi    chacun    se    resiouiroit 

188  voyant  son  fils  capable]  de  paroistre  en  guerre 
&  en  paix.  II  luy  feroit  prendre  vne  vacation 
sortable  k  sa  qualite,  &  au  lieu  que  les  enfans 
auiourd'huy  sont  reuesches,  il  le  trouueroit  souple 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  292 

Christians,  and  Arabic  between  Mohammetans. 
This  science  would  not  be  useless  for  them,  it  would 
enlighten  their  minds,  and  would  bring  them  assist- 
ance when  they  are  grown  up,  if  they  should  wish 
to  advance  further  in  the  studies  of  theology,  medi- 
cine, jurisprudence  and  philosophy:  if  not,  they 
can  always  boast  of  not  having  uselessly  passed 
their  childhood,  as  do  some  who  are  accustomed 
from  the  cradle  to  fool  and  play,  so  that  at  the 
end  of  time  they  know  nothing  but  absurdities. 
Is  it  not  better  to  make  the  children  taste  good 
discipline,  while  waiting  for  them  to  become  stronger, 
and  then  it  will  be  well  to  make  them  exercise  alter- 
nately the  body  and  the  mind,  so  that  they  may 
know  not  only  how  to  speak  well  and  judge  well 
of  all  things,  but  also  how  to  defend  themselves 
courageously  in  case  of  necessity.  To  this  end 
from  fourteen  years  they  will  learn  how  to  ride  a 
horse,  swim,  jump,  and  fire  arms,  continuing  nev- 
ertheless their  first  exercises  above  specified  until 
the  age  of  eighteen  years.  And  then  they  would 
be  returned  to  their  fathers,  who  would  receive 
an  extreme  pleasure.  And  as  the  Gauls  did  not 
wish  to  see  their  children  unless  they  were  fitted 
to  bear  arms,  so  would  every  one  rejoice  at  seeing 
his  son  capable  of  appearing  in  war  and  in  peace. 
He  will  make  him  take  an  occupation  suitable  to 
his  station,  and  instead  of  the  children  being  ?s 
to-day  headstrong,   he  would  find  him  pliable  to 


293  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

k  ses  commandemens,  &  k  la  raison,  par  le  moyen 
de  la  bonne  instruction  qu'il  auroit  receue.  D 'autre 
part  le  Prince  auroit  vne  pepiniere  d'hommes  de 
conseil  &  de  main,  qui  1' assist eroient  au  besoing. 
II  cognoistroit  ceux  qui  le  pourroient  seruir  en 
quelque  fagon  que  ce  soit,  &  sans  auoir  recours 
aux  estrangers,  touueroit  entre  ses  subiects  vne 
infinite  de  bons  officiers  soldats  &  artisans.  Cer- 
tainement  il  n'y  a  rien  de  si  grande  importance 
que  I'instruction  de  la  ieunesse.  C'est  le  fonde- 
ment  d'vn  estat,  I'appuy  de  la  tranquilite  que 
nous  cherchons.  Les  censeurs  done  y  doiuent 
auoir  I'oeil.  Et  afin  que  personne  ne  s'alentisse 
d'oisiuete  ils  contraindront  vn  chacun  de  choisir 
vn  genre  de  vie,  apres  qu'il  sera  sorti  de  F Academic 
publique.  En  quoy  ie  ne  puis  approuuer  la  cous- 
ttune  des  ^gyptiens  &  Lacedemoniens,  qui  vou- 
loient  que  les  enfans  fussent  d'vn  mesme  mestier 
189  que  leur]  pere,  tellement  que  le  fils  d'vn  cuisinier 
estoit  cuisinier,  &  le  fils  d'vn  audiencier  ne  pouuoit 
aspirer  k  aucun  office  plus  honorable.  C 'estoit 
fermer  la  porte  k  la  vertu  &  industrie.  II  vaut 
bien  mieux  laisser  ceste  eslection  libre  aux  ieunes 
hommes,  afin  qu'ils  s'addonnent  k  vn  exercice, 
ou  leur  naturel  &  capacite  les  portera,  soubs 
le  bon  plaisir  toutesfois  du  Prince,  duquel  ils 
doiuent  estre  authorisez  pour  exercer  quelque 
vacation.  Car  si  tous  vouloient  estre  d'vne 
condition,      le      public      y      seroit      notablement 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  294 

his  commands,  and  to  reason,  on  account  of  the 
good  instioiction  that  he  would  have  received. 
Besides  the  Prince  will  have  a  nursery  of  men 
fitted  for  council  and  work,  who  in  case  of  need 
would  assist  him.  He  would  know  those  who 
would  be  able  to  serve  him  in  any  sort  of  way, 
and  without  having  recourse  to  foreigners,  would 
find  among  his  subjects  an  infinity  of  good  officers, 
soldiers  and  artisans.  Certainly  there  is  nothing 
of  so  great  importance  as  the  instruction  of  youth. 
It  is  the  foundation  of  a  State,  the  support  of  the 
tranquility  which  we  are  seeking.  The  censors 
therefore  must  have  their  eye  upon  it.  And  so 
that  no  one  may  grow  dull  with  idleness  they  will 
force  each  to  choose  a  mode  of  life,  after  he  shall 
have  come  from  the  public  academy.  In  which 
I  cannot  approve  the  custom  of  the  Egyptians  and 
Lacedemonians,  who  wished  that  the  children  should 
have  the  same  occupation  as  the  father,  so  much 
so  that  the  son  of  a  cook  was  a  cook,  and  the  son 
of  a  crier  could  not  aspire  to  any  more  honorable 
office.  That  was  closing  the  door  to  virtue  and 
industry.  It  is  much  better  to  leave  this  selection 
free  to  young  men,  so  that  they  may  take  up  an 
occupation  to  which  their  nature  and  capacity 
leads  them,  subject  to  the  good  pleasure  however 
of  the  Prince,  by  whom  they  must  be  authorized 
to  exercise  a  calling.  For  if  all  wished  to  be  in  the 
same    occupation,    the    public    would    be    notably 


295  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

interesse.  Occasion  pourquoy  il  est  besoing  d'ap- 
porter  vn  reglement  en  cecy,  afin  qu'en  vne  ville  il 
se  trouue  toute  sorte  d'estats  suffisamment,  &  que 
les  vns  ne  se  multiplient  excessiuement  au  preiudice 
de  la  Republique.  Car  il  n'est  pas  k  propos  que  les 
subiects  soient  tous  soldats  pour  les  inconueniens 
qui  en  peuuent  arriuer,  qui  furent  bien  preueus 
par  le  Roy  Frangois,  lors  qu'il  cassa  les  legion- 
naires.  II  n'est  pas  aussi  expedient  d'auoir  tant 
de  iuges,  Prestres,  Religieux,  Procureurs,  Aduocats, 
praticiens,  &  Sergens,  dont  la  grande  multitude 
190  affoijblit  les  Royaumes.  II  est  besoing  que  tous 
ces  gens-lk  soient  reduicts  k  vn  certain  nombre, 
&  conuenable  k  I'estendue  de  leur  ville  ou  prouince. 
A  quoy  les  censeurs  pourront  facilement  pour- 
ueoir,  puis  qu'ils  ont  la  charge  de  faire  le  de- 
nonbrement  du  peuple  &  d'enregistter  les  noms 
&  qualitez  d'vn  chacun.  Quant  aux  Gentils- 
hommes  on  n'en  peut  pas  regler  le  nombre,  at- 
tendu  qu'il  depend  de  la  fortune  des  families  nobles. 
II  suffira  de  les  retenir  en  leur  deuoir  par  1' ap- 
prehension d'vne  infamie,  au  cas  qu'ils  commet- 
tent  quelque  indignite,  &  les  soubsmettre  k  la 
censure  comme  les  autres  en  ce  qui  touche  le  reg- 
lement des  moeurs.  Et  pour  le  regard  des  la- 
boureurs,  artisans,  manoeuures,  &  generalement  de 
tous  marchands  trafiquans  par  mer  ou  par  terre,  la 
grandeur  &  le  profit  des  estats  depend  d'eux  totale- 
ment,  de  maniere  qu'on  ne  doibt  pas  en  craindre 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  296 

interested  in  it.  Wherefore  there  is  need  to  bring 
this  under  regulation,  so  that  in  a  city  there  are 
sufficient  of  all  sorts  of  callings,  and  that  certain 
ones  should  not  multiply  too  excessively  to  the 
prejudice  of  the  republic.  For  it  is  not  proper 
that  the  subjects  should  all  be  soldiers  on  account 
of  the  inconveniences  that  can  result  therefrom, 
which  were  well  foreseen  by  King  Francis,  when  he 
broke  the  legionnaires.  It  is  not  also  expedient 
to  have  so  many  judges,  priests,  monks,  lawyers, 
advocates,  patricians,  and  sergeants,  of  whom  a  too 
great  multitude  weakens  kingdoms.  It  is  needful 
that  all  those  people  should  be  reduced  to  a  cer- 
tain number,  and  proportionate  to  the  extent  of 
their  city  or  province.  This  the  censors  can  easily 
accomplish,  since  they  have  the  charge  of  taking 
the  census  of  the  people  and  to  register  the  name 
and  occupation  of  every  one.  As  for  the  gentry 
one  can  not  regulate  their  number,  since  this 
depends  on  the  fortunes  of  the  noble  families.  It 
will  suffice  to  hold  them  to  their  duty  through  the 
fear  of  the  discovery  of  an  infamy,  in  case  they 
should  commit  some  wrong  act,  and  submit  them 
to  the  censure  the  same  as  the  others  concerning 
the  regulation  of  morals.  And  for  the  case  of 
laborers,  artisans,  workmen,  and  generally  of  all 
merchants  trading  by  sea  or  by  land,  the  grandeur 
and  profit  of  States  depends  entirely  upon  them, 
so   that   one   must   not   fear   multitudes   of   them. 


297  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

la  multitude.  Seulement  il  faut  prendre  garde 
qu'ils  n'entreprennent  les  vns  sur  les  autres, 
&  qu'vn  chacun  se  contienne  es  bornes  de  son 
mestier,   pour  euiter  confusion  &  discorde.     Voila 

191  les  moyens]  d'entretenir  la  paix  particulierement 
en  chaque  monarchie.  II  y  en  a  d' autres  plus 
vniuersels,  qui  concernent  la  bonne  intelligence 
de  tous  les  Souuerains  respectiuement  I'vn  auec 
I'autre,  dont  le  premier  &  le  plus  important  est, 
qu'ils  se  contentent  des  limites  de  leur  seigneurie, 
qui  leur  seront  prescripts  par  la  generale  assemblee, 
de  laquelle  nous  auons  parle.  Ce  poinct  estant 
gaigne  il  faudra  aduiser  a  ce  que  les  particuliers 
de  diuerses  nations  se  puissent  hanter  &  trafiquer 
ensemble  en  asseurance,  &  que  s'il  suruient 
quelque  procez  ou  dispute  entr'eux,  que  le  magis- 
trat  du  lieu  les  accorde  promptement  sans  f  aueur  ny 
acception  de  personne.  Car  puis  qu'il  s'agist  d'vne 
paix  vniuerselle,  il  faut  rendre  la  iustice  aux 
estrangers,  &  ne  permettre  point  qu'ils  soient  offensez 
en  aucune  sorte  par  les  originaires  du  pays,  quand 
ils  y  viendront  pour  leurs  affaires  ou  mesmes  pour 
leur  plaisir.  Les  Romains  auoient  vn  preteur 
destine  pour  iuger  les  causes  des  estrangers.  II  sera 
bon  de  faire  le  mesme  en  chaque  ville  &  bourgade, 

192  ou  les  estrangers  sont  souuuentesfois  [sic]]  pillez 
&  outragez  impunement  par  la  conniuence  des 
magistrats,  qui  n'en  font  aucune  raison.  Et  ne- 
antmoins    I'iniure   faicte   k   des    particuliers    cause 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  298 

Only  care  must  be  taken  that  they  do  not  trespass 
one  upon  the  other,   and  that  each  one  contains 
himself   within   the   bounds   of   his   occupation,  in 
order  to  avoid  confusion  and  discord.     Those  are 
the   means   to   maintain   peace   especially   in   each 
monarchy.     There  are  others  more  universal,  which 
concern   the    good   relations   of   all    sovereigns   re- 
spectively one  with  the  other,   of  which  the  first 
and    the    most    important    is,    that    they    content 
themselves  with  the  limits  of  their  lordship,  which 
shall  be  prescribed  to  them  by  the  general  assembly, 
of  which  we  have  spoken.     This  point  being  settled 
it  will  be  necessary  to  agree  how  the  individuals 
of  diverse  nations  can  meet  and  trade  together  in 
safety,  and  that  if  some  trial  or  dispute  arises  be- 
tween them,    that   the   magistrate   of  the   locality 
will  promptly  bring  them  into  accord  without  favor 
or  orders  from  any  one.     For  since  it  is  a  question 
of  a  universal  peace,  justice  must  be  rendered  to 
foreigners,  and  they  must  not  be  permitted  to  be 
harmed  in   any   way   by   natives   of  the   country, 
when  they  come  there  for  their  business  or  even 
for    their  pleasure.     The    Romans   had    an    officer 
appointed    to    judge    the    cases    of    foreigners.     It 
would  be  a  good  thing  to  do  the  same  in  each  town 
and  borough,   where  foreigners  are  often  pillaged 
and  outraged  with  impunity  through  the  connivance 
of  the  magistrates,  who  pay  no  attention  to  them. 
And   nevertheless   the   injury   done   to  individuals 


299  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

aucunesfois  des  guerres  publiques.     Les  Suisses  se 
banderent    centre    le    Due     de     Bourgongne    pour 
venger  le  tort  faict  h  vn  de  leurs  Bourgeois  k  qui 
on  auoit  vole  vne  chartee  de  peaux  de  mouton.     Or 
la  paix  vniuerselle  estant  establie  il  n'y  a  aucune 
doubte  que  plusieurs  mauuais  garnimens  s'efforcer- 
ont  de  la  troubler  par  toute  sorte  d 'artifices,  &  pour 
accomplir  leur  desseinge  feront  mil  indignitez  aux 
marchands    forains,    &    les    attaqueront    en    leurs 
personnes,  ou  en  leurs  biens,  afin  de  les  estranger 
&    rompre    la    communication    mutuelle,    qui    est 
le  seul  lien  d'amitie  &  d' alliance.     Partant  il  sera 
necessaire  de  peur  qu'on  ne  soit  contrainct  d'vser 
de  represailles,  qui  ne  font  qu'alterer  la  paix,  que 
chaque  Prince  prenne  en  sa  sauuegarde  les  estran- 
gers  k  I'encontre  de  ses  subiects,  au  cas  qu'ils  soient 
par  eux  molestez.     le  dis  h  I'encontre  de  ses  sub- 
iects,   car   il    n'est    pas    licite    de    prester    secours 
193     a  vn  homme  reuolte  contre]   son   Souuerain.     En 
quoy  le   Roy   Francois  premier  fut  mal   conseille, 
quand  il  receut  Robert  de  la  Marche  contre  Charles 
cinquiesme    Empereur,    &    pour    reparer    la    faute, 
quelques  annees  apres  d'vn  coeur  trop   magnanime 
il  refusa  les  off  res  tres-aduantageuses  des  Gantois, 
qui  imploroient  son  secours  contre  le  dit   Prince. 
Et  toutesfois  il  auoit  plus  d' occasion  de  prendre  le 
faict  &  cause  de  ces  peuples,  comme  de  ceux  qui 
estoient  ses  naturels   subiects,   &  qui  d'anciennete 
releuoient   de   la  France.     Le  Roy  Loys  vnziesme 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  300 

causes  sometimes  public  wars.  The  Swiss  banded 
together  against  the  Duke  of  Burgundy  to  avenge 
the  wrong  done  to  one  of  their  burghers  from  whom 
was  stolen  a  wagon  load  of  sheep  skins.  Now 
universal  peace  being  established  there  is  no  doubt 
that  several  bad  scapegraces  will  try  to  disturb  it 
by  all  sorts  of  means,  and  to  accomplish  their  ob- 
ject will  commit  a  thousand  indignities  on  foreign 
merchants,  and  will  attack  their  persons,  or  their 
goods,  in  order  to  estrange  and  break  the  mutual 
interchange,  which  is  the  only  bond  of  friendship 
and  alliance.  Therefore  it  will  be  necessary  for 
fear  that  one  will  be  forced  to  make  use  of  reprisals, 
that  only  serve  to  overturn  peace,  that  each  Prince 
shall  take  foreigners  under  his  protection  as  against 
his  own  subjects,  in  case  that  they  are  molested 
by  them.  I  say  as  against  his  own  subjects,  for  it 
is  right  to  lend  aid  to  a  man  in  revolt  against  his 
sovereign.  In  which  King  Francis  was  badly  ad- 
vised, when  he  received  Robert  de  la  Marche  against 
the  Emperor  Charles  the  Fifth,  and  to  repair  his 
fault  a  few  years  later  with  too  magnanimous  a 
heart  he  refused  the  very  advantageous  offers  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Ghent,  who  implored  his  aid 
against  the  said  Prince.  And  nevertheless  he  had 
more  reason  to  take  the  side  and  cause  of  those 
people,  as  of  those  who  were  his  natural  sub- 
jects, and  who  formerly  were  dependents  of 
France.     King  Louis  the  Eleventh  had  committed 


301  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

auoit  faict  la  mesme  faute  de  receuoir  les  Liege- 
ois  en  sa  protection.  C'est  pourquoy  6s  traictez 
de  paix  on  met  ordinairement  ceste  clause,  que 
les  Princes  alliez  ne  receuront  point  les  subiects 
I'vn  de  I'autre  si  ceux  qui  se  veulent  refugier 
n'ont  le  consentement  de  leur  Souuerain.  Ce  qui 
estoit  pratique  par  les  peuples  confederez  de  Rome, 
qui  stipuloient  expressement,  que  leurs  bourgeois 
ne  seroient  points  faits  citoyens  Romains  sans 
leur  permission.  Aussi  nos  Annalistes  rapportent, 
que  par  1' accord  faict  entre  ces  deux  Roys  de] 
194  France  Gontran  &  Childebert,  il  fut  dit  qu'aucun 
d'eux  ne  solliciteroit,  &  ne  retireroit  par  deuers 
soy  les  subiects  de  son  compagnon.  Vn  sem- 
blable  article  se  trouue  aux  trait tez  d' alliance  entre 
les  Roys  de  France  &  les  Suysses:  car  la  grandeur 
des  Princes  consiste  principalement  en  la  multi- 
tude des  vassaux  &  suiects,  &  partant  ne  faut 
permettre  qu'ils  se  desbandent,  &  changent  de 
domicile  selon  leur  volonte :  encore  moins  leur  doit- 
on  permettre  ceste  liberte  quand  ils  ont  desoblige 
leur  Souuerain  par  quelque  meschancete  ou  des- 
seruice.  Au  demeurant,  nous  cherchons  vne  paix, 
qui  ne  soit  point  fourree,  ny  pour  durer  trois  iours, 
mais  qui  soit  volontaire,  egale,  8c  permanente:  vne 
paix  qui  rende  k  vn  chacun  ce  qui  luy  appartient, 
le  priuilege  au  citoyen,  I'hospitalite  k  I'estranger, 
&  k  tous  indifferemment  la  liberte  de  voyage  & 
negotiation.     Car  les  Lacedemoniens  auoient  tort  de 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  302 

the  same  fault  of  receiving  the  inhabitants  of 
Liege  under  his  protection.  It  is  because  of  this 
that  in  treaties  of  peace  one  ordinarily  inserts  this 
clause,  that  allied  Princes  will  not  receive  the  sub- 
jects of  one  another  if  those  who  wish  to  seek  a 
refuge  have  not  the  consent  of  their  sovereign. 
Which  w^as  practiced  by  the  confederated  peoples 
of  Rome,  who  expressly  stipulated  that  their  burghers 
should  not  be  made  Roman  citizens  without  their 
permission.  Also  our  chroniclers  relate,  that  by 
the  agreement  concluded  between  the  two  Kings  of 
France  Gontran  and  Childebert,  it  was  said  that 
neither  of  them  should  solicit,  and  should  not 
draw  to  himself  the  subjects  of  his  companion. 
A  similar  article  is  found  in  the  treaties  of  alliance 
between  the  Kings  of  France  and  the  Swiss:  for 
the  grandeur  of  Princes  consists  chiefly  in  the 
number  of  vassals  and  subjects,  and  therefore  they 
must  not  be  permitted  to  disband  themselves,  and 
change  their  domicile  at  w411:  still  less  must  one 
grant  them  this  liberty  when  they  have  disobeyed 
their  sovereign  by  some  evil  deed  or  lack  of  serv- 
ice. After  all,  we  seek  a  peace,  which  is  not  patched 
up,  nor  for  three  days,  but  which  is  voluntary, 
equitable,  and  permanent:  a  peace  which  gives 
to  each  one  what  belongs  to  him,  privilege  to  the 
citizen,  hospitality  to  the  foreigner,  and  to  all  in- 
differently the  liberty  of  travel  and  trading.  For 
the  Lacedemonians  were  wrong  in  driving  the  for- 


303  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

chasser  les  estrangers  de  leur  ville.  La  coustume 
des  Leucaniens  est  bien  plus  honneste,  qui  con- 
damnoient    k    1' amende    celui    qui    auoit    le    soir 

195  refuse  son  logis  k  vn]  pelerin.  Les  Atheniens, 
Candiots,  Remains,  &  tous  les  braues  peuples 
ont  este  hospitaliers,  recognoissans  que  I'homme 
est  vn  animal  de  societe,  qui  doit  accommoder 
ses  voisins  de  ce  qu'il  a,  &  reciproquement  aussi 
receuoir    d'eux    vne    pareille    courtoisie. 

Or  d'autant  que  le  commerce  &  communication 
des  peuples  s'entretient  par  le  moyen  de  la  mon- 
noye,  qui  va  de  part  &  d' autre,  il  est  besoin  de 
regler  le  prix,  le  poids,  &  la  loy  d'icelle,  auec  reso- 
lution de  ne  rien  innouer  en  ces  choses,  pour 
quelque  pretexte  que  ce  soit:  car  s'il  y  a  de  I'in- 
certitude  au  cours  ou  en  la  qualite  de  la  mon- 
noye,  les  contracts  seront  incertains,  &  personne 
ne  sera  iamais  asseure  de  ce  qu'il  aura.  Le  Prince 
ne  doit  alterer  k  son  plasir  le  pied  d'vne  mesme 
monnoye,  autrement  il  feroit  tort  aux  autres, 
&  ne  trouueroit  aucun  qui  voulut  trait er  auec  luy. 
Or  en  cecy  il  y  a  deux  abus,  qui  sont  conioincts, 
asgauoir  I'affloiblissement  &  changement  de  prix 
de  la  monnoye.  Et  tout  ce  mal  vient  du  meslange 
de  ces  3.  metaux,  or,  argent,  &  cuiure,  pource 
que  depuis  qu'on  les  a  mesle  es  ouurages  d'orfeures 

196  &]  statuaires,  on  a  faict  le  mesme  aussi  es  mon- 
noyes :    en   quoy   les   vns    ont   este   plus    religieux 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  304 

eigners  from  their  town.  The  custom  of  the  Lu- 
canians  is  much  more  honest,  which  condemned 
with  a  fine  he  who  had  refused  in  the  evening 
lodgings  to  a  wayfarer.  The  Athenians,  Candiots, 
Romans,  and  all  the  brave  peoples  were  hospit- 
able, recognizing  that  man  is  a  sociable  animal, 
who  must  accommodate  his  neighbors  with  what 
he  has,  and  reciprocally  also  receive  from  them  a 
similar  courtesy. 

Now  in  as  much  as  commerce  and  the  inter- 
communication of  the  peoples  are  maintained  by 
means  of  money,  which  goes  from  one  place  to 
another,  it  is  necessary  to  regulate  the  price,  weight, 
and  its  law,  with  the  fixed  resolve  to  start  nothing 
new  in  those  things,  for  any  pretext  whatsoever: 
for  if  there  is  uncertainty  in  the  exchange  or  in 
the  quality  of  the  money,  the  contracts  will  be 
uncertain,  and  no  one  will  ever  be  assured  of  what 
he  will  have.  The  Prince  must  not  alter  at  his 
pleasure  the  weight  of  similar  pieces  of  money, 
otherwise  he  will  do  wrong  to  the  others,  and  would 
find  no  one  who  would  trade  with  him.  Now  in 
this  there  are  two  abuses,  that  are  joint,  to  wit, 
the  weakening  and  the  change  of  the  value  of 
money.  And  all  this  evil  comes  from  the  mixing 
of  these  three  metals,  gold,  silver,  and  copper, 
because  since  they  have  been  mixed  in  works  of 
goldsmithing  and  statuary,  one  has  done  the  same 
also  in  moneys:    in  which  some  have  been  more 


305  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

que  les  autres  &  ont  moins  altere  &  sophistique  Tor 
&  r argent,  en  faisant  tous  les  deux  de  plus  haute 
loy  que  leurs  voisins.  Dont  il  ne  se  faut  pas  es- 
tonner,  attendu  qu'en  vn  mesme  pays  la  loy  se 
change.  Car  on  sgait  que  les  solds  qui  ont  cours 
maintenant  en  France  n'approchent  pas  de  la 
bonte  de  ceux  du  temps  de  sainct  Loys,  &  ceux 
de  ce  temps  n'ont  pas  la  loy  des  quarts  d'escu 
&  pieces  de  vingt  sols.  Ce  qui  cause  le  rehause- 
ment  des  fortes  monnoyes,  lesquelles  sont  attirees 
finement  par  les  marchands  estrangers  &  regni- 
coles,  qui  les  refondent  pour  en  faire  d' autres 
plus  foibles,  &  les  bailler  en  payement  au  peuple, 
qui  regoit  du  billon  pour  bon  argent,  ne  sgachant 
discerner  I'vn  d'auec  1' autre.  Puis  il  est  tout 
estonne  de  voir  son  billon  descrie,  &  les  pieces 
de  bonne  mise  si  haussees  pour  la  rarete  d'icelles, 
que  celuy  qui  pensoit  auoir  en  sa  bourse  la  qua- 
triesme  partie  d'vn  escu,  n'en  a  pas  la  vingtieseme. 
Cecy  apporte  plus  de  preiudice  aux  Frangois 
197  qu'aux  aujtres  nations.  Car  si  au  lieu  d'aug- 
menter  ils  rabaissoient  le  prix  de  Tor  &  de  1' ar- 
gent, les  estrangers  qui  ont  ces  deux  met  aux  h 
commandement  seroient  contraincts  d'en  apporter 
en  ce  royaume,  pour  achepter  bien  cherement 
les  marchandises  dont  ils  ne  se  peuuent  passer, 
comme  bled,  vins,  sel,  &  pastel.  Mais  elles  ne 
leur  coustent  gueres,  pource  que  leur  or  est  trop 
estime  parmy  nous,  &  d'auantage  pour  faire 
mieux   leur   profit,  ils  nous   apportent   des  perles, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  306 

religious    than    others    and    altered    and    changed 
less  gold  and  silver,   in  making  both  of  a  higher 
alloy   than  their   neighbors.     At   which   one   must 
not  be  astonished,  since  in  the  same  country  the 
alloy  changes.     For  one  knows  that  the  solds  that 
are  current  at  present  in  France  do  not  approach 
the  value  of  those  of  the  time  of  Saint  Louis,  and 
those  of  that  time  have  not  the  alloy  of  the  quarter 
ecu  and  pieces  of  twenty  solds.    Which  causes  the 
rise  in  value  of  the  better  moneys,  which  are  quietly 
withdrawn  by  foreign  and  native  merchants,  who 
melt  them  to  make  out  of  them  Hghter  ones,  and 
give  them  in  payment  to  the  people,  who  receive 
bad  money  for  good,  not  knowing  how  to  discern 
the  one  from  the  other.     Then  he  is  all  astonished 
to  see  his  bad  money  decried,  and  the  good  pieces 
raised  so  high  owing  to  their  scarcity,  that  he  who 
thought  he  had  in  his  purse  the  fourth  part  of  an 
ecu,    has    not    the    twentieth.     This    brings    more 
prejudice  to  the  French  than  to  other  nations.     For 
if  instead  of   augmenting  they   lowered   the   price 
of  gold  and  silver,  the  foreigners  who  have  those 
two    metals    at   their   command   would   be    forced 
to  bring  some  into  this  kingdom,  to  buy  very  dearly 
the  merchandises  without  which  they  cannot  get 
along,   such   as  wheat,   wine,   salt,   and  hay.     But 
they   cost   them   Httle,    because   their   gold   is   too 
much  thought  of  among  us,   and  in  addition  the 
better  to  make  their  profit,  they  bring  to  us  pearls, 


307  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

des  soyes,  des  parfums,  &  autres  bagatelles  qu'il  nous 
donnent  en  contr'eschange  des  choses  necessaires, 
ou  les  vendent  au  poids  de  Tor.  Nous  auons  veu 
le  marc  d'or  encheri  de  trente  huict  liures  en  I'espace 
de  douze  ans  en  pleine  paix,  &  k  compter  depuis 
I'annee  mil  cinq  cens  soixante  &  dix-sept  iusques 
k  mil  six  cens  deux  il  a  hausse  de  cinquante  six 
luires  six  solds  &  demy.  le  sgay  que  la  necessite 
des  affaires  peut  couurir  ceste  faute,  comme  du 
regne  de  Charles  septiesme  Tan  mil  quatre  cens 
vingt  deux,  le  marc  d'or  s'exposa  pour  deux  mil 
huict  cens  quarante  sept  luires,  &  I'escu  vallut 
198  ius]ques  k  quarante  luires :  &  le  marc  d'argent 
s'exposa  pour  trois  cens  soixante  luires.  Mais 
le  malheur  du  temps  causoit  vn  tel  desordre,  lequel 
estant  cesse  on  remit  ces  metaux  k  leur  estima- 
tion ordinaire,  chacun  recognoissant  que  1' aug- 
mentation de  leur  prix  estoit  la  diminuation  des 
richesses  tant  en  general,  qu'en  particulier.  Car 
celuy  qui  auoit  preste  cent  escus  d'or  au  mo  is 
d'Aoust  mil  six  cens  deux,  s'il  a  eu  patience 
iusques  k  Fan  mil  six  cens  quatorze,  il  n'en 
regoit  que  quatre  vingt  en  semblables  especes,  k 
cause  du  rehaussement.  II  est  vray  qu'il  n'y 
a  point  d 'interest,  pourueu  que  le  rehaussement 
tienne,  qu'il  soit  semblable  par  tout,  &  que 
les   marchadises  n'en  deuiennent  point  plus  cheres. 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  308 

silks,    perfumes,    and    other    bagatelles    that    they 
give  us  in  exchange  for  the  necessary  things,   or 
which  they  sell  for  their  weight  of  gold.     We  have 
seen  the  mark  of  gold  enhanced  in  value  by  thirty- 
eight  livres  in  the  space  of  twelve  years  in  times  of 
peace,  and  to  count  from  the  year  one  thousand 
five  hundred   and  seventy-seven  until  one  thous- 
and six  hundred  and  two  it  has  risen  to  fifty-six 
livres  six  and  a  half  solds.     I  know  that  the  neces- 
sities of  business  may  hide  this  fault,  as  in  the  reign 
of  Charles  the  Seventh  in  the  year  one  thousand 
four    hundred    and    twenty-two,    when    the    mark 
of  gold  exchanged  for  two  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  forty-seven  livres,  and  the  ecu  was  worth  as 
high  as  forty  livres:    and  the  mark  of  silver  ex- 
changed for  three  hundred  and  sixty  livres.     But 
the  depression  of  that  time  caused  such  a  disorder, 
which   having   ceased  those   metals   were   restored 
to  their  ordinary  value,  every  one  recognizing  that 
the  rise  in  their  value  was  the  diminution  of  wealth 
as  well  in  general,  as  in  particular.    For  he  who  had 
lent  one  hundred  ecus  of  gold  in  the  month  of 
August,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  two,  if  he 
was  patient  until  the  year  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  fourteen,  received  from  them  only  eighty 
in  similar  kind,  on  account  of  the  rise  in  value.     It 
is  true  that  there  is  no  interest,  provided  that  the 
rise  holds  good,  that  it  is  similar  everywhere,  and 
that  merchandises  do  not  on  that  account  become 


309  LE   NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

comme  il  arriue  ordinairement.  Ia9oit  qu'vn  cer- 
tain personnage  aye  soustenu  par  vn  liure  public 
sur  ce  subiect,  qu'il  y  a  beaucoup  h  perdre  sur 
vne  piece  d'or  &  d' argent,  encore  qu'on  la  mette 
pour  le  mesme  prix  qu'on  I'a  receue.  Ce  qu'il 
prouue  en  ceste  fagon.  Le  Bourgeois  qui  du 
temps  du  Roy  lean  auoit  trente  six  liures  de  rente 
199  fonciere  ou  constituee,]  pour  payement  de  sadicte 
rente  auoit  trente  six  francs  d'or  ii  pied  ou  h  cheual,  h 
raison  de  vingt  solds  piece  qu'ils  valoient  lors,  ou 
monnoye  d'argent  h  V equipollent.  Pour  lesquels 
trente  six  francs  d'or,  il  pouuoit  auoir  neuf  muids 
de  vin  h  raison  de  quatre  liures  dudit  temps,  qui 
estoient  quatre  francs  d'or  valans  douze  liures  de 
present.  Si  ce  Bourgeois  est  maintenant  paye  de 
sadicte  rente  en  ladicte  monnoye  de  francs  d'or,  il 
n'en  receura  que  douze,  valans  h  raison  de  soixante 
sols  piece,  comme  Us  se  mettent  h  present,  ladicte 
somme  de  trente  six  liures:  pour  lesquels  douze  francs 
d'or  il  n'aura  pour  le  iourd'huy,  que  trois  muids  de 
vin,  a  raison  de  douze  liures  que  chaque  muid  vaut 
h  present,  au  lieu  que  lors  il  en  auoit  neuf  muids. 
II  perd  done  six  muids  de  vin  sur  ces  douze  francs 
d'or,  encore  qu'il  les  ait  mis  pour  le  mesme  prix  de 
soixante  solds,  qu'il  les  a  receus.  Le  gentilhomme 
ou  autre s  de  quelque  estat  qu'il  soit  qui  au  temps  de 
S.  Loys  auoit  seize  liures  de  cens  ou  rente,  peut  luy 
payer  ceste  rente,  on  luy  bailloit  cinq  marcs  d'argent 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  310 

dearer,  as  ordinarily  happens.  I  know  that  a 
certain  personage  has  sustained  by  a  book  pub- 
lished on  these  subjects,  that  there  is  much  to 
lose  on  a  piece  of  gold  and  silver,  even  when 
one  places  it  for  the  same  price  that  one  received 
it.  Which  he  proves  in  this  fashion.  The  burgher 
who  in  the  time  of  King  John  had  thirty-six  livres 
income  from  land  or  constituted,  for  payment  of  his 
said  income  had  thirty-six  francs  in  gold  on  foot  or 
on  horseback,  in  the  ratio  of  twenty  solds  apiece  which 
they  were  worth  then,  or  the  equivalent  of  silver  money. 
For  which  thirty-six  francs  in  gold,  he  could  have  nine 
hogsheads  of  wine  for  four  livres  of  that  time,  which 
were  four  francs  in  gold  worth  twelve  livres  of  the 
present.  If  this  burgher  is  now  paid  for  his  said 
income  in  the  said  money  of  gold  francs,  he  would 
receive  only  twelve,  worth  in  the  ratio  of  sixty  solds 
each,  as  they  are  worth  at  present,  the  said  sum  of 
thirty-six  livres:  for  which  twelve  francs  of  gold  he 
will  not  have  to-day,  more  than  three  hogsheads  of 
wine,  for  twelve  livres  that  each  hogshead  is  worth 
at  present,  instead  that  then  he  had  nine  hogsheads. 
He  loses  therefore  six  hogsheads  of  wine  on  his  twelve 
francs  in  gold,  even  though  he  has  placed  them  for 
the  same  price  of  sixty  solds,  which  he  received  them 
at.  The  gentleman  or  other  person  of  whatever  rank 
he  might  be  who  in  the  time  of  Saint  Louis  had  six- 
teen livres  of  a  hundred  or  an  income,  can  pay  him 
this  income,  in  granting  him  five  marks  of  fine  silver, 


311  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

fin,  ou  monnoye  d'or  h  V equipollent.     Car  au  marc 

200  d'argent  fin  n'y]  auoit  lors  que  la  quantity  de 
soixante  quatre  pieces  appellees  solds  ou  gros  tour- 
nois.  Maintenant  pour  luy  payer  ceste  rente,  on 
ne  luy  bailie  qu'vn  marc  d'argent  fin,  qui  n'est 
que  la  cinquiesme  partie  de  Vargent  contenu  aux 
premieres  seize  liures.  En  ce  temps  Id  on  auoit 
pour  seize  liures  seize  aulnes  de  drap  h  raison  de 
vingt  solds  Vaulne,  aussi  bon  ou  meilleur  que  celuy 
qui  h  present  couste  cent  solds  tournois.  Maintenant 
pour  seize  liures  on  n'a  que  trois  aulnes  vn  cinquiesme 
de  drap  h  cent  sols  Vaulne,  au  lieu  qu'on  en  auoit 
seize  le  temps  passe,  qui  est  perte  de  douze  aulnes, 
quatre  cinquiesme  de  drap  sur  seize  liures,  combien 
qu'on  aye  mis  chacune  liure  pour  pareil  prix  de 
vingt  sols  qu'elle  a  est4  receue.  Si  nous  le  prenons 
au  sold  ou  douzain,  nous  trouuerons  le  semblable. 
Car  pour  dix  sols  que  le  gentilhomme  receuoit  ancienne- 
ment  de  ses  rentes  ou  censiues,  contenant  autant 
d'argent  fin  que  les  cinquante  de  maintenant,  il  pouuoit 
auoir  cinq  chappons,  h  raison  de  deux  sols  piece. 
Maintenant  pour  dix  sols  il  n'a  qu'vn  chappon, 
qui  est  perte  sur  dix  sols  de  quatre  chappons,  combien 
qu'il  aye  mis  lesdits  sols  pour  douze  deniers  chacun, 
qui  est  le  mesme  prix  qu'il  les  a  receus.     C'est  la 

201  demonstration  dudit  sieur,  laquelle  il  adjiouste  a 
vn  autre  Paradoxe,  h  sgauoir,  que  rien  n'est 
encheri  en  France  depuis  trois  cens  ans.  On  ne 
se  peut  plaindra,    dit-il,    qu'vne   chose  soit   encherie 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  312 

or  the  eqivalent  in  gold  money.  For  to  the  mark  of 
fine  silver  there  was  then  not  more  than  the  quantity 
of  sixty -four  pieces  called  solds  or  gros  tournois. 
Now  to  pay  him  this  income,  one  grants  him  hut  one 
mark  of  -fine  silver,  which  is  hut  the  fifth  part  of  the 
silver  contained  in  the  first  sixteen  livres.  In  that 
time  one  had  for  sixteen  livres  sixteen  yards  of 
cloth  in  the  ratio  of  twenty  solds  the  yard,  as  good  as 
or  hetter  than  the  one  that  now  costs  one  hundred 
solds  tournois.  Now  for  sixteen  livres  one  has  hut 
three  yards,  a  fifth  of  the  cloth  at  a  hundred  solds  the 
yard,  instead  of  which  one  had  sixteen  in  the  time 
past,  which  is  a  loss  of  twelve  yards,  four  fifths  of 
cloth  on  sixteen  livres,  no  matter  how  much  one  has 
placed  each  livre  for  such  a  price  of  twenty  solds  at 
which  it  was  received.  If  we  take  it  at  the  sold  or 
dozen,  we  find  the  same  thing.  For  for  the  ten  solds 
that  the  gentleman  received  formerly  from  his  incomes 
or  manors,  containing  as  much  fine  silver  as  the  fifties 
of  to-day,  he  could  have  five  capons,  at  the  ratio  of 
two  solds  apiece.  Now  for  ten  solds  he  has  only  one 
capon,  which  is  a  loss  of  ten  solds  on  four  capons, 
no  matter  even  if  he  has  placed  the  said  solds  for 
twelve  denier s  each,  which  is  the  same  price  at  which 
he  received  them.  That  is  the  demonstration  of 
the  said  gentleman,  to  which  he  adds  another  par- 
adox, to  wit,  that  nothing  has  become  dearer  in 
France  since  three  hundred  years.  One  cannot 
complain,     says     he,     that     an    article    has     grown 


313  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

depuis  trois  cens  ans,  sinon  que  pour  Vachepter  il 
faille  auiourd'huy  bailler  plus  d'or  ou  d' argent,  que 
le  temps  passe.  Or  est-il  que  pour  Vachept  de  toutes 
choses  on  ne  bailie  point  maintenant  plus  d'or  n'y 
d'argent  qu'on  y  hailloit  alors:  car  du  temps  de 
Philippe  de  Valois  qui  commenga  h  regner  Van  mil 
trois  cens  vingt  huict  Vaulne  de  velours  coustoit  quatre 
escus  aussi  tons  voire  meilleurs  en  poix,  &  valeur 
que  nos  escus  au  soleil  de  maintenant,  &  chaque 
escu  ne  valoit  que  vingt  sols  monnoye  d'argent, 
auiourd'huy  que  I'escu  vaut  cinquante  solds  &  que 
Vaulne  de  velours  est  vendue  dix  liures,  neantmoins 
pour  payer  ces  dix  liures,  il  ne  faut  que  ladicte  somme 
de  quartre  escus  h  raison  de  cinquante  sols  piece, 
comme  ils  sont  par  Vordonnance,  ou  monnoye 
d'argent  h  la  valeur.  Donques  Vaulne  de  velours 
n'est  point  plus  chere  qu'elle  estoit  alors.  Voila  sa 
raison,  mais  elle  est  sophistique,  &  n'a  que  I'ap- 
parence,  car  sa  premiere  proposition  laquelle  il 
suppose  comme  indubitable,  &  que  Bodin  mesmes 
luy  accorde  inconsiderement,  est  fausse.  D'autant 
202  que  les]  choses  ne  s'acheptent  suelement  par  or  & 
argent,  mais  par  le  cuiure,  qui  fait  vne  troisiesme 
espece  de  monnoye  de  moindre  valeur,  &  neantmoins 
qui  regie  le  prix  de  toutes  les  autres,  comme  I'asse 
d'airain  mesuroit  a  Rome  le  sesterce,  &  le  denier, 
&  autres  plus  grosses  monnoyes,  pource  qu'vn 
sesterce  valoit  deux  asses  &  demy,  vn  denier  d'ar- 
gent en  valoit  dix,  &  ceste  demiere  monnoye  estant 


THE_NEW    CYNEAS.  314 

dearer  since  three  hundred  years,  except  that  to 
buy  it  it  is  necessary  to  pay  to-day  more  gold  or 
silver,  than  in  the  time  past.  Now  it  is  true  that 
for  the  purchase  of  all  things  one  does  not  now 
pay  more  gold  nor  silver  than  one  paid  then:  for 
in  the  time  of  Philip  of  Valois  who  began  to 
reign  in  the  year  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
twenty -eight,  the  yard  of  velvet  cost  four  ecus  as 
good  or  even  better  in  weight,  and  value  as  our 
ecus  in  the  sunlight  of  to-day,  and  each  ecu  was 
worth  only  twenty  solds  of  silver  money,  while  to- 
day the  ecu  is  worth  fifty  solds  apiece,  and  as  the 
yard  of  cloth  is  sold  ten  livres,  nevertheless  to  pay 
these  ten  livres,  there  is  need  only  of  the  said  sum, 
of  four  ecus,  at  the  rate  of  fifty  solds  apiece,  as  they 
are  by  decree,  or  silver  money  at  the  value.  So  the 
yard  of  velvet  is  not  dearer  than  it  was  then.  That 
is  his  reason,  but  it  is  sophistical,  and  is  only  ap- 
parent, for  his  first  proposition  which  he  supposes 
to  be  indubitable,  and  which  even  Bodin  incon- 
siderately accords  him,  is  false.  Especially  since 
that  things  are  bought  not  only  with  gold  and 
silver,  but  also  with  copper,  which  makes  a  third 
kind  of  money  of  less  value,  and  nevertheless  which 
regulates  the  price  of  all  the  others,  as  the  asse 
of  brass  measured  at  Rome  the  sesterce,  and  the 
denier,  and  other  bigger  moneys,  because  a  sesterce 
was  worth  two  asses  and  a  half,  a  denier  of  silver 
was    worth    ten,    and    this    last    money    becoming 


315  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

haussee,  elle  fut  estimee  seize  asses:  car  en 
faict  de  poids,  mesures,  &  monnoyes,  ce  qui  est 
le  plus  petit  est  la  reigle  du  plus  grand.  Cela 
estant,  ie  dis  que  la  bonte  des  monnoyes  ne  gist 
qu'en  leur  estimation,  de  maniere  que  celle-cy 
estant  augmentee,  leur  bonte  pareillement  s'aug- 
mente,  &  par  consequent  I'escu  d'or  quand  il 
ne  vaut  que  vingt  solds,  c'est  k  dire  deux  cens 
quarante  deniers,  n'est  pas  si  bon  que  lors  qu'il 
vaut  soixante  solds,  ou  sept  cens  vingt  deniers, 
pource  que  sa  valeur  se  doit  mesurer  aux  petites 
monnoyes,  &  Tor  &  I'argent  ne  valent  qu'autant 
qu'il  plaist  au  Prince  &  au  peuple,  tellement  qu'en 
203  Lacedemone  lors  que  la  monjnoye  de  fer  fut  en 
vsage  ces  deux  metaux  estoient  superflus,  & 
auiourd'huy  en  Ethiopie  ou  la  monnoye  de  sel  a 
cours,  I'or  est  inutile,  pour  le  commerce,  &  I'ai- 
rain  dont  nous  parlons  estoit  plus  precieux  que 
I'or  parmy  certains  peuples  orientaux  selon  le 
rapport  de  losephe.  C'est  done  mal  conclu  de 
dire  que  le  velours  ne  couste  pas  plus  cher  que 
iadis,  pource  qu'on  ne  bailie  que  quatre  escus 
en  or  comme  on  faisoit  il  y  a  trois  cens  ans:  car 
ces  escus  qu'on  bailie  maintenant,  quand  bien 
ce  seroient  les  mesmes  especes  du  temps  passe, 
sont  de  meilleure  mise,  &  de  plus  haut  prix  qu'ils 
n'estoient,  attendu  qu'ils  valent  d'auantage  de 
menue  monnoye.  Et  si  les  solds  d'argent  fin 
que  fit  forger  sinct  Louys,  estoient  encore  en 
estre,    ils   vaudroient    trois     ou    quatre     fois     plus 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  316 

raised,  was  estimated  at  sixteen  asses:  for  in  ques- 
tions of  weight,  measures,  and  moneys,  that  which 
is  the  smallest  is  the  measure  of  the  greater.  This 
being  so,  I  say  that  the  goodness  of  moneys  lies 
only  in  their  estimated  goodness,  so  that  this  being 
augmented,  their  value  similarly  augments,  and 
consequently  the  ecu  of  gold  when  it  is  worth  only 
twenty  solds,  that  is  to  say  two  hundred  and  forty 
deniers,  is  not  so  good  as  when  it  is  worth  sixty 
solds,  or  seven  hundred  and  twenty  deniers,  since 
its  value  must  be  measured  by  the  small  moneys, 
and  gold  and  silver  are  worth  only  as  much  as  it 
pleases  the  Prince  and  the  people,  so  much  so  that 
in  Lacedemonia  when  money  of  iron  was  in  use 
those  two  metals  were  superfluous,  and  to-day  in 
Ethiopia  where  money  of  salt  is  current,  gold  is 
useless,  for  commerce,  and  the  brass  of  which  we 
spoke  was  more  precious  than  gold  among  certain 
oriental  peoples  according  to  the  report  of  Joseph. 
It  is  then  a  wrong  conclusion  to  say  that  velvet 
does  not  cost  more  than  formerly,  because  one 
hands  over  only  four  ecus  in  gold  as  one  did  three 
hundred  years  ago:  for  these  ecus  than  one  now 
hands  over,  even  though  they  were  the  same  kinds 
as  those  of  past  times,  are  in  better  circulation,  and 
of  a  higher  price  than  they  were,  since  they  are 
worth  more  small  coin.  And  if  the  solds  of  fine 
silver  that  Saint  Louis  had  struck,  were  still  in 
being,  they  would  be  worth  three  or  four  times  more 


317  LE   NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

qu'ils  ne  valoient  en  leur  commencement,  pour 
ce  qu'alors  ils  ne  se  mettoient  que  pour  douze 
deniers,  &  maintenant  dVn  de  ces  solds  Ik,  on 
en  feroit  trois  ou  quatre,  qui  vaudroient  autant 
chacun.     Comme     lors     que     les     Romains     dimi- 

204  nuerent  les  poids]  de  leur  asse,  en  luy  gardant 
son  estimation  accoustumee,  &  que  d'vn  ils  en 
firent  six,  ceux  qui  auoient  le  vieil  asse  pesant 
vne  liure,  estoient  plus  riches  cinq  fois  qu'aupara- 
uant,  &  s'ils  deuoient  quatre  asses,  ils  ne  pouuoient 
sans  se  faire  tort  les  rendre  en  mesme  espece  k 
leurs  creanciers,  Se  ceux-cy  ne  les  pouuoient  re- 
ceuoir  sans  vsure,  a  cause  du  prix  que  nouuelle- 
ment  le  peuple  leur  auoit  bailie,  lequel  prix  est 
la  vraye  &  essentielle  bonte  de  la  monnoye.  D'ou 
nous  pouuons  inferer  I'absurdite  de  la  premiere 
proposition  du  mesme  autheur,  quand  il  dit,  que 
celuy  qui  auoit  de  rente  trente  six  francs  d'or  ne 
les  regoit  pas  auiourd'huy.  Car  encore  qu'il  ne 
les  regoiue  en  matiere,  il  les  regoit  en  estimation, 
qui  est  equiualente.  Que  si  pour  douze  escus, 
il  ne  peut  auoir  comme  autresfois  neuf  miuds  de 
vin,  cela  ne  vient  pas  de  1' augmentation  du  prix 
de  Tor,  attendu  qu'il  ne  s'ensuit  pas  necessaire- 
ment  que  les  marchandises  encherissent  pour  le 
rehaussement  des  monnoyes.  II  y  a  bien  d'autres 
causes  d'encherissement,  k  sgauoir,  le  luxe,  I'abon- 

205  dance  d'or  &  d' argent,  &  les]  monopoles.  Au 
surplus  ledit  personnage  s'embarasse  en  ses  con- 
ceptions:    car   d'vn   coste   il   nie   I'encherissement, 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  318 

than  they  were  worth  in  their  beginning,  because 
then  they  wotdd  pass  but  for  twelve  deniers,  and 
now  with  one  of  those  solds,  one  would  make  three 
or  four,  each  of  which  would  be  worth  as  much.    As 
when  the  Romans  diminished  the  weight  of  their 
asse,  in  keeping  it  its  accustomed  estimation,  and 
that  of  one  they  made  six,  those  who  had  the  old 
asse  weighing  a  livre,  were  five  times  richer  than 
formerly,  and  if  they  owed  four  asses,  they  could 
not  without  doing  themselves  a  wrong  give  them 
back  in  the  same  kind  to  their  creditors,  and  these 
could  not  receive  them  without  usury,  because  of 
the  price  that  the  people  had  recently  given  them, 
which  price  is  the  true  and  essential  value  of  money. 
From  which   we   can  infer  the    absurdity    of   the 
first  proposition  of  the  same  author,  when  he  says, 
that  he  who  had  in  rent  thirty-six  francs  in  gold 
does  not  receive  them  to-day.     For  even  though 
he  does  not  receive  them  in  kind,  he  receives  them 
in  value,  which  is  equivalent.     That  if  for  twelve 
ecus,   he  cannot  have  as  formerly  nine  hogsheads 
of  wine,   that  does  not  come  from  the  increased 
price  of  gold,  since  it  does  not  follow  necessarily 
that    merchandises    become    dearer  on  account  of 
the   rise   of   the   moneys.     There   are   many   other 
reasons  for  the  rise  of  prices,  to  wit,  luxury,  abund- 
ance of  gold  and  silver,  and  monopolies.     Besides 
which  the  said  personage  gets  mixed  in  his  concep- 
tions:   for  on  the  one  hand  he  denies  the  rise  of 


319  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

&  d'ailleurs  il  en  donne  des  exemples,  qui  est  vne 
manifeste  contradiction.  Ce  qui  i'ay  voulu  re- 
presenter  en  passant,  pour  suppleer  le  defaut  de 
Bodin,  qui  n'a  pas  donne  la  solution  de  ces  rai- 
sons,  &  s'est  content e  de  les  mettre  en  auant,  sans 
y  respondre  directement.  le  confesse  toutesfois 
que  le  surhaussement  des  monnoyes  est  preiudi- 
ciable  pour  les  raisons  susdictes,  &  qu'il  est  ne- 
cessaire  que  les  Princes  dVn  commun  consentement 
reduisent  les  monnoyes  a  vn  mesme  pied,  afinque 
chacun  puisse  contracter  par  tout  sans  dommage. 
Surquoy  on  a  donne  plusieurs  aduis  qui  meri- 
teroient  d'estre  pratiquez.  Premierement  on  con- 
seille  de  donner  en  tout  pays  vn  mesme  prix 
au  marc  d'or,  &  d'eualiier  douze  liures  d' argent 
h  vne  liure  d'or.  Laquelle  proportion  a  este  an- 
ciennement,  &  est  encore  ou  a  peu  pres  gardee 
en  la  plus  grande  partie  du  monde,  de  fagon  qu'vn 
Roy  des  Indes  du  temps  d'Auguste  s'emerueilla  de 
voir  que  ses  subiects  s'accordoient  en  ceste  police 
206  auec  les  Romains.]  Secondement  on  est  d'aduis 
de  deffendre  le  billon,  comme  ont  desia  faict 
quelques  Roys,  pource  qu'il  donne  occasion  de 
falsifier  ou  affoiblir  les  monnoyes,  &  d'auantage 
il  n'est  iamais  esgal,  de  maniere  que  les  hommes 
qui  entendent  le  pair,  amassent  le  plus  qu'ils 
peuuent  de  bonnes  monnoyes  pour  en  faire  de  pires 
k  leur  profit  &  k  la  perte  incroyable  du  peuple:  ce 
qu'ils  ne  feroient  pas,  si  les  monnoyes  estoient  d'or 
&  argent  pur:  car  quand  vn  metail  simple  est  sup- 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  320 

prices,  and  on  the  other  hand  he  gives  examples 
of  it,  which  is  a  manifest  contradiction.  Which  I 
have  wished  to  present  in  passing,  to  supply  the 
defect  of  Bodin,  who  has  not  given  the  solution  of 
his  reasons,  and  has  contented  himself  in  bringing 
them  forward,  without  replying  to  them  directly. 
I  confess  nevertheless  that  the  great  rise  of  moneys 
is  a  bad  thing  for  the  things  said  above,  and  that  it 
is  necessary  that  Princes  of  a  common  consent  re- 
duce the  moneys  to  one  similar  standard,  so  that 
each  person  may  make  a  contract  everyivhere 
without  damage.  Concerning  which  several  plans 
have  been  suggested  that  merit  being  practiced. 
First  one  counsels  giving  in  all  countries  the  same 
value  to  the  gold  mark,  and  to  value  twelve  silver 
livres  to  one  gold  livre.  Which  proportion  was 
anciently,  and  is  still  or  nearly  kept  in  the  greater 
part  of  the  world,  so  that  a  King  of  the  Indies  of 
the  time  of  Augustus  was  astonished  to  see  that 
his  subjects  agreed  in  this  policy  with  the  Romans. 
Second,  one  is  of  the  opinion  to  forbid  copper,  as 
some  Kings  already  have  done,  because  it  gives  a 
chance  to  falsify  or  weaken  the  moneys,  and  be- 
sides it  is  never  equal,  so  that  the  men  who  under- 
stand parity,  collect  all  the  good  money  they  can 
to  make  of  it  bad  money  for  their  profit  and  the 
increditable  loss  of  the  people:  which  they  would 
not  do  if  the  moneys  were  of  pure  gold  and  silver: 
for   when  a   simple   metal   is   substituted   for   an- 


321  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

pose  pour  vn  autre,  la  couleur,  le  poids,  le  vol- 
ume, le  son,  &  autres  proprietez  descouurent 
facilement  la  tromperie,  mais  il  est  mal  aise  de 
cognoistre  la  qualite  &  valeur  de  billon  qui  est  si 
diuerse  &  inegale.  Occasion  pourquoy  il  est  ex- 
pedient de  defendre  generalement  le  meslange 
des  metaux,  &  particulierement  aux  monnoyeurs, 
ioyauliers,  &  orfeures,  sur  peine  de  la  vie,  afin 
que  tous  leurs  ouurages  soient  de  metaux  simples, 
&  que  les  fraudes  qui  s'y  pourroient  commettre 
soient  aisees  a  descouurir.  Toutesfois  pource 
qu'il  est  impossible,  d'affiner  I'or  &  I'argent  par- 
207  faictement,  sans  deschet,  &]  grande  despence,  on 
doit  smuant  les  anciennes  ordonnances  de  ce 
Royaume  mettre  Tor  en  ouurage  &  en  monnoye 
h  vingt  &  trois  carats,  &  I'argent  k  vnze  deniers 
douze  grains  de  fin.  Ce  faisant  la  proportion 
sera  gardee  de  Tor  a  I'argent,  attendu  que  la 
mixtion  en  I'vn  &  I'autre  sera  esgale,  tellement 
qu'en  tous  ouurages  d'or,  ou  d'argent  il  n'y  aura 
que  la  vingt  quatriesme  partie  d' autre  met  ail,  & 
ainsi  on  changera  sans  aucune  perte  Tor  auec 
I'argent,  en  prenant  douze  liures  d'argent  pour 
vne  liure  d'or  suiuant  la  precedente  police,  pource 
que  I'vn  &  I'autre  seront  esgallement  affinez.  Car 
de  faire  ces  deux  metaux  plus  foibles,  comme 
on  fait  auiourd'huy,  c'est  donner  beau  ieu  aux 
trompeurs  pour  falsifier  les  monnoyes.  Et  n'est  pas 
moins  dangereux  de  permettre  qu'ils  soient  d'vne 
ley  inegale  en  diuerses  prouinces,  d'autant  que  les 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  322 

Other,  the  color,  the  weight,  the  volume,  the  sound, 
and  other  properties  easily  disclose  the  falsifica- 
tion, but  it  is  not  easy  to  recognize  the  quaUty  and 
value  of  copper  which  is  so  diverse  and  unequal. 
Reason  why  it  is  expedient  to  forbid  as  a  general 
thing  the  mixture  of  the  metals,  and  especially  to 
the  coiners,  jewellers,  and  goldsmiths,  upon  pain 
of  death,  so  that  all  their  work  may  be  of  pure 
metals,  and  that  the  frauds  that  might  be  com- 
mitted may  be  easy  to  discover.  Nevertheless 
because  it  is  impossible,  to  refine  gold  and  silver 
completely,  without  loss  and  great  expense,  one 
must  according  to  the  ancient  regulations  of  this 
kingdom  place  gold  in  the  crafts  and  in  moneys 
at  twenty-three  carats,  and  silver  at  eleven  deniers 
twelve  grains  fine.  Which  being  done  the  propor- 
tion will  be  kept  of  gold  to  silver,  since  the  mixture 
in  the  one  and  the  other  will  be  equal,  so  much  so 
that  in  all  works  in  gold,  or  in  silver  there  will  be 
but  the  twenty-fourth  part  of  another  metal,  and 
thus  one  will  exchange  without  loss  gold  with 
silver,  by  taking  twelve  livres  of  silver  for  one  livre 
of  gold  following  the  foregoing  regulation,  because 
the  one  and  the  other  will  be  equally  refined.  For 
to  make  those  two  metals  less  pure,  as  is  done 
to-day,  is  to  give  a  fine  opportunity  to  the  cheats 
to  falsify  the  moneys.  And  it  is  not  less  dangerous 
to  allow  that  they  shall  be  of  unequal  alloy  in 
various   provinces,    since   the   better   moneys   that 


323  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

plus  fortes  monnoyes.  qui  ont  cours  en  vn  pays, 
sont  recueillis  finement  par  les  bons  mesnagers 
qui  les  conuertissent  en  pieces  plus  foibles  qui 
sont  de  mise  en  vn  autre  pays,  &  souuentesfois 
208  les  orfeures  &  affineurs  en  font  leurs]  ouurages, 
afin  d'auoir  par  deuers  eux  toute  la  purete  de  I'or 
&  de  r argent;  le  billon  demeurant  au  peuple. 
Ces  deux  inconueniens  sont  assez  cogneus,  notam- 
ment  le  premier.  Pource  que  les  reaux  de  Castille 
k  cause  de  leur  bonte  ont  est6  conuertis  par  plu- 
sieurs  Souuerains  en  monnoyes  de  leurs  pays,  & 
en  cela  ils  ont  fait  vn  grand  profit.  Les  Suisses 
en  ont  fait  de  mesme  des  testons  de  France,  dont 
ils  ont  forge  des  testons  k  leur  pied,  qui  estoient 
plus  foibles  de  loy  &  de  poids  que  les  nostres.  Car 
les  Princes  ne  se  contentent  d'affoiblir  la  loy  de  leurs 
monnoyes,  ils  diminuent  aussi  le  poids  d'icelles, 
sans  rien  amoindrir  de  leur  estimation.  L'escu  sold 
qui  iadis  pesoit  quatre  deniers,  fut  reduict  sous 
le  regne  de  Francois  premier  k  deux  deniers  seize 
grains,  &  sous  Charles  neusiesme  fut  encore  dim- 
inue  de  son  poids.  Les  autres  souuerains  n'ont 
pas  este  plus  conscientieux  pour  ce  regard,  attendu 
que  les  escus  d'Hespagne  sous  Charles  cinquiesme 
furent  affoiblis  de  trois  grains:  &  a  son  exemple 
il  en  fut  forge  en  toutes  les  Seigneuries  d' Italic, 
qui  n'auoient  que]  deux  deniers  seize  grains  de 
poids,  &  vingt  deux  carats  de  fin  au  plus.  Et 
ne  faut  doubter  que  tant  plus  on  ira  en  auant,  la 
necessite    des    guerres,    le    luxe,    &    la    prodigalite 


THE   NEW   CYNEAS.  324 

are  current  in  one  country,  are  collected  quietly 
by  the  good  managers  who  convert  them  into  poorer 
pieces  that  are  in  use  in  another  country,  and  often- 
times the  goldsmiths  and  refiners  make  their  works 
out  of  them,  so  as  to  have  by  them  all  the  purity 
of  gold  and  silver;  the  copper  remaining  for  the 
people.  These  two  inconveniences  are  pretty  well 
known,  notably  the  first.  For  which  the  reaux  of 
Castile  because  of  their  purity  were  converted  by 
several  sovereigns  into  moneys  of  their  countries, 
and  in  that  they  made  a  great  profit.  The  Swiss 
did  the  same  with  the  testons  of  France,  of  which  they 
coined  testons  at  their  standard,  which  was  weaker 
in  alloy  and  weight  than  ours.  For  Princes  are  not 
content  to  weaken  the  alloy  of  their  moneys,  they 
diminish  also  their  weight,  without  in  any  way 
diminishing  their  designation.  The  ecu  sold  which 
formerly  weighed  four  deniers,  was  reduced  in  the 
reign  of  Francis  the  First  to  two  deniers  sixteen 
grains,  and  under  Charles  the  Ninth  was  still  fur- 
ther cut  down  in  weight.  The  other  sovereigns 
have  not  been  more  conscientious  in  regard  to  this, 
since  the  ecus  of  Spain  under  Charles  the  Fifth  were 
lowered  by  three  grains:  and  following  his  example 
there  were  some  coined  in  all  the  lordships  of  Italy, 
which  had  only  two  deniers  sixteen  grains  of  weight, 
and  twenty-two  carats  fine  at  most.  And  it  must 
not  be  doubted  that  the  more  one  goes  forward, 
the  necessity  caused  by  wars,  luxury,  and  prodigal- 


325  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

ne  contraignent  les  Princes  d'affoiblir  de  plus  en 
plus  les  monnoyes  s'ils  ne  s'accordent  entre  eux  d'en 
forger  a  mesme  loy  &  h.  mesme  poids.  Quant  a 
la  loy,  il  est  ayse  de  I'establir  esgale  suiuant  ce  qui 
a  este  dit.  Pour  le  poids  il  y  a  plus  de  difficulte, 
a  cause  de  la  diuersite  d'iceluy,  qui  est  telle,  que 
malaysement  on  peut  trouuer  deux  monarchies 
qui  se  seruent  d'vn  semblable  poids,  &  mesmes 
en  vn  seul  Royaume,  comme  en  France  on  voit 
beaucoup  de  villes  dont  les  poids  ont  vne  diffe- 
rence notable:  principalement  la  liure  de  monnoye 
&  orfeurie  qu'on  appelle  marc  d'or  ou  d' argent. 
Car  encore  que  ce  marc  contienne  par  tout  huict 
onces,  il  est  pourtant  fort  diuersifie,  pource  que 
les  onces  sont  plus  fortes  en  vn  lieu  qu'en  vn  autre: 
comme  k  Geneue  sept  onces  en  valent  presque 
huict  de  celles  de  Paris.  Et  au  contraire  il  ne 
faut  guerre  plus  de  cinq  onces  Parisiennes,  pour 
210  peser]  autant  que  le  marc  de  Piedmont,  Milan  & 
Gennes.  Ce  qui  apporte  vne  grande  incommodite 
au  trafic,  &  donne  occasion  aux  marchands  rusez, 
d'affronter  les  estrangers  en  leur  faisant  accroire 
ce  qu'ils  veulent  du  poids  dont  il  ne  sgauent  la 
valeur.  Et  quelque  preuoyance  qu'apportent  les 
Roys,  ils  ne  pourront  iamais  empescher  les  pipeurs 
d'achepter  au  poids  fort,  &  de  vendre  au  poids  foible, 
tandis  qu'vne  telle  diuersite  aura  lieu  dans  I'enclos 
de  leur  est  at,  ou  de  celu}^  de  leurs  voisins  &  autres 
auec    lesquels   ils    ont    commerce.     C'est   pourquoy 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  326 

ity  will  force  the  Princes  to  debase  more  and  more 
the  moneys  if  they  do  not  agree  among  themselves 
to  coin  them  of  the  same  alloy  and  the  same  weight. 
As  to  the  alloy,  it  is  easy  to  establish  it  equally 
according  to  what  has  been  said.  For  the  weight 
there  is  more  difficulty,  because  of  the  diversity  of 
this,  which  is  such,  that  with  difficulty  can  one 
find  two  monarchies  that  use  the  same  weights, 
and  even  in  a  single  Kingdom,  as  in  France  one  sees 
many  towns  whose  weights  have  a  notable  differ- 
ence: principally  the  livre  of  money  and  gold- 
smithing  which  one  calls  the  gold  or  silver  mark. 
For  even  if  this  mark  contains  everywhere  eight 
ounces,  it  is  nevertheless  much  diversified,  be- 
cause the  ounces  are  heavier  in  one  locality  than  in 
another:  as  at  Geneva  seven  ounces  are  worth 
almost  eight  of  those  of  Paris.  And  on  the  con- 
trary there  is  need  only  of  five  Parisian  ounces,  to 
weigh  as  much  as  the  mark  of  Piedmont,  Milan 
and  Genoa.  Which  brings  a  great  disturbance  to 
commerce,  and  gives  opportunity  to  shrewd  mer- 
chants, to  cheat  foreigners  by  making  them  believe 
what  they  wish  of  the  weight  of  which  they  do  not 
know  the  value.  And  whatever  foresight  kings 
may  have,  they  can  never  prevent  the  deceiver 
from  buying  high,  and  selling  low,  while  such  a 
diversity  exists  within  the  confines  of  their  State, 
or  in  that  of  their  neighbors  and  of  others  with 
whom  they  have  trade.      It  is  for  that  that  there 


327  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

il  est  besoin  qu'ils  consentent  tous  h  vn  regle- 
ment  general,  par  lequel  non  seulement  Tor  & 
r argent,  mais  aussi  les  marchandises  soient  ven- 
dues k  vn  poids  esgal  en  tout  pays.  Ce  qui 
ne  sera  mal  ayse  k  faire,  la  nature  en  cecy  nous 
seruant  de  guide,  les  oeuures  de  laquelle  h  sgauoir 
les  grains  seruent  pour  regler  les  poids  &  les  mesures. 
Quant  k  celles-cy,  anciennement  on  prenoit  la 
lieue  pour  deux  milles,  le  mille  pour  huict  stades, 
le  stade  pour  cent vingt cinq  pas,  le  pas  pour  5. 
211  pieds,  le  pied  pour  quatre  palmes,  le  palme]  pour 
quatre  doigts,  &  vn  doigt  pour  quatre  grains. 
En  matiere  de  poids  on  vient  pareillement  au  grain, 
comme  k  la  regie  de  tous  les  autres.  Le  marc 
contient  huict  onces,  I'once  vaut  huict  drachmes 
ou  gros,  qui  valent  autant  que  vingt  quatre  deniers, 
chaque  gros  valant  trois  deniers,  &  le  denier  peze 
vingt  quatre  grains.  Laquelle  regie  est  auiourd'huy 
gardee  en  plusieurs  Royaumes,  &  I'estoit  iadis 
en  Grece,  comme  veritablement  elle  est  fort  propre 
k  la  negotiation.  Ainsi  I'once  peze  cinq  cens 
soixante  &  seize  grains,  le  marc  quatre  mil  six 
cens  huict,  &  la  liure  marchande  en  peze  vne  fois 
autant.  Sans  doubt e  si  ce  reglement  estoit  receu 
par  tous  les  peuples,  le  commerce  seroit  bien  plus 
facile.  Toutesfois  il  y  a  vne  chose  qui  semble 
empescher  ou  diminuer  son  vtilite  assgauoir  la 
difference  des  grains  en  la  pesanteur;  d' autant  qu'il 
y  en  a  qui  pesent  plus  en  vn  lieu  qu'en  I'autre,  au 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  328 

is  need  that  they  all  agree  to  a  general  regulation, 
by  which  not  only  gold  and  silver,  but  also  mer- 
chandise should  be  sold  by  an  equal  weight  in  all 
countries.     Which   would   not   be   difficult   to   do, 
nature  serving  us  in  this  as  a  guide,  whose  works, 
to  wit,  grain  would  serve  to  regulate  weights  and 
measures.     As  to  these  latter,  anciently  one  counted 
the  league  as  two  miles,  the  mile  for  eight  furlongs, 
the  furlong  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  paces, 
the  pace  for  five  feet,  the  foot  for  four  palms,  the 
palm  for  four  fingers,   the  finger  for  four  grains. 
In  the  matter  of  weights  one  comes  equally  to  the 
grain,  as  ruling  all  the  others.     The  mark  contains 
eight  ounces,   the  ounce  is  worth  eight  drams  or 
gros,    which    are    worth    as    much    as   twenty-four 
deniers,  each  gros  is  worth  three  deniers,  and  the 
denier  weighs  twenty-four  grains.     Which  rule  is 
to-day  kept  in  several  kingdoms,  was  formerly  in 
Greece,    as   indeed   it   is   excellent   for   commerce. 
Thus  the  ounce  weighs  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
six   grains,   the  mark  four  thousand   six  hundred 
and   eight,    and   the   livre   merchant   weighs   once 
again  as  much.     Without  doubt  if  this  regulation 
was   received  by  all  peoples,  commerce  would  be 
much  more  easy.     Nevertheless  there  is  one  thing 
that  seems  to  prevent  or  diminish  its  usefulness, 
to  wit,    the    difference    of    the    grains    in  weight; 
in   as   much   as  there   are   some  that  weigh  more 
in    one    locality    than    in    another,    by    means    of 


329  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

moyen    dequoy    on    ne    peut    egaler    les    marcs   & 
les  onces   des   pays  differens,   puisque  leur  mesure 

212  est  changeante  &  inegale,  si  ce  n'est  que]  tous  les 
Souuerains  s'accordent  de  mesurer  tous  leur  poids 
selon  les  grains  d'vn  certains  pais  tel  qu'ils  choi- 
siront  d'vn  commun  consentement,  afin  que  le 
qualibre  &  pesanteur  du  grain  est  ant  stable,  les 
autres  poids  qui  s'y  rapportent,  ayent  aussi  vne 
certitude  qui  ne  puisse  estre  reuoquee  endoute: 
Que  si  chaque  Souuerain  veut  auoir  son  poids  a 
part,  ou  pour  tenir  sa  grandeur,  ou  pour  la  diffi- 
culte  qu'il  y  a  de  le  changer,  en  ce  cas  il  faudra 
estimer  le  marc  d'or  &  d'argent  selon  sa  pesanteur. 
Car  estans  reduicts  a  vne  mesme  loy,  a  sgauoir 
I'or  a  vingt  trois  carats,  T argent  h  onze  deniers 
douze  grains  de  fin,  comme  nous  auons  dit,  &  en 
outre  gardant  la  proportion  duodecuple  entre  ces 
metaux,  suiuant  I'ancienne  coustume,  il  ne  restera 
plus  que  de  considerer  leur  quantite,  &  de  leur 
donner  le  prix  &  proportion  d'icelle,  en  telle  sorte 
que  le  marc  qui  aura  ses  quatre  mil  six  cens  huict 
grains  plus  pesans  qu'vn  autre,  sera  aussi  plus 
prise  selon  I'excez  de  sa  pesanteur.  Mais  d'autant 
que  cest  excez  ne  peut  estre  liquide  sinon  par  vne 

213  mesure  commune,  il  est]  plus  k  propos  de  pratiquer 
le  reglement  cy  dessus  mentionne.  Car  on  fera  tou- 
siours  accroire  a  vn  est  ranger  que  son  poids  n'est 
pas  meilleur  que  celuy  du  pays  ou  il  trafique,  encore 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  330 

which    one    cannot    equalize    the    marks    and    the 
ounces  of  the  different  countries,  since  their  meas- 
ure is  changing  and  unequal,  unless  all  the  sover- 
eigns agree  to  measure  all  their  weights  according 
to  the  grains  of  a  certain  country  such  as  they  shall 
choose  by  common  consent,  so  that  the  quality  and 
weight  of  the  grain  being  stable,  the  other  weights 
that  are  based  upon  it,  have  also  a  certitude  that 
cannot  be  placed  in  doubt:    That  if  every  sover- 
eign wishes  to  have  his  own  separate  weight,  either 
to  maintain  his  grandeur,  or  because  of  the  diffi- 
culty he  may  have  to  change  it,  in  that  case  it  will 
be  necessary  to  estimate  the  gold  or  silver  mark 
according  to  its  weight.     For  being  made  of  a  same 
alloy,  to  wit,  gold  at  twenty-three  carats,  silver  at 
eleven  deniers  twelve  grains  fine,  as  we  have  said, 
and  besides  keeping  the  proportion  of  twelve  be- 
tween these  metals,  following  the  ancient  custom, 
there  will  remain  only  to  consider  their  quantity, 
and  to  give  them  its  price  and  proportion,  in  such 
a  way  that  the  mark  which  will  have  its  four  thou- 
sand  six   hundred   and   eight   grains   heavier  than 
another,  will  be  also  more  prized  according  to  the 
excess  of  its  weight.     But  in  as  much  as  this  excess 
cannot  be  liquidated  except  by  a  common  measure, 
it  is  more  to  the  point  to  practice  the  regulation 
mentioned   above.      For   one   will   always   make  a 
foreigner  believe  that  his  weight  is  not  better  than 
that  of  the  country  where  he  is  trading,  even  though 


331  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

qu'il  excede  d'vne  once  ou  de  plus,  que  s'il 
conteste,  il  trouuera  vne  infinite  de  tesmoins 
centre  luy,  &  faudra  faire  de  deux  choses  I'vne, 
ou  se  laisser  tromper,  ou  retourner  en  sa  maison 
sans  rien  faire.  Ce  qui  est  capable  de  ronpre  le 
cours  du  trafic,  lequel  ne  se  peut  bien  entretenir 
que  par  I'egalite  des  poids  &  mesures.  Encore 
celles-cy  ne  sont  pas  si  necessaires,  &  quelques 
peuples  ne  s'en  seruent  point,  comme  les  Chinois, 
qui  ont  accoustume  de  peser  tout,  mesmes  le  linge, 
estimans  que  les  tromperies  sont  plus  faciles,  & 
ordinaires  aiix  mesures,  dequoy  il  ne  faut  nulle- 
ment  douter,  pourueu  qu'il  n'y  ait  qu'vne  sorte 
de  poids:  ou  s'il  y  en  a  plusieurs,  a  tout  le  moins 
que  leur  difference  soit  publiee  &  leur  proportion 
recogneue,  afin  d'euiter  les  supercheries,  qui  autre - 
ment  seroient  ineuitables.  Et  le  reglement  doibt 
auoir  lieu  notamment  au  poids  de  I'or  &  de  1' argent, 
214  ou  les  fraujdes  sont  d'autant  plus  k  craindre  qu'elles 
sont  lucratiues.  le  dis  done  pour  retourner  propos, 
qu'on  doit  asseurer  non  seulement  la  loy,  mais 
aussi  le  poids  des  monnoyes,  &  h,  cest  effect  limiter 
le  nombre  des  pieces  qui  seront  faictes  en  vn  marc 
d'or  ou  d'argent,  de  mesme  poids,  nom  &  valeur. 
Et  de  ces  monnoyes  egales  on  en  pourra  faire 
huict,  seize,  trente  deux,  &  soixante  quatre  pieces 
au  marc,  ou  plus  s'il  est  besoing,  les  multipli- 
ant  par  proportion,  en  telle  maniere  toutesfois 
que  leur  petitesse  ne  leur  cause  vne  trop  grande 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  332 

it  exceeds  by  an  ounce  or  more,  that  if  he  contests, 
he  will  find  any  number  of  witnesses  against  him, 
and  will  have  to  do  one  of  two  things,  either  allow 
himself  to  be  fooled,  or  return  to  his  home  without 
doing  anything.  Which  is  capable  of  breaking  the 
course  of  trade,  which  cannot  well  be  maintained 
except  by  the  equality  of  weights  and  measures. 
Indeed  these  latter  are  not  so  necessary,  and  some 
peoples  do  not  use  them,  like  the  Chinese,  who 
are  accustomed  to  weigh  everything,  even  linen, 
thinking  that  cheating  is  more  easy,  and  common 
with  measures,  of  which  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt, 
provided  that  there  is  only  one  kind  of  weights: 
but  if  there  are  several,  at  least  let  their  differences 
be  published  and  their  proportion  recognized,  in 
order  to  avoid  the  cheatings,  which  otherwise  would 
be  inevitable.  And  the  regulation  must  apply 
especially  to  the  weight  of  gold  and  silver,  where 
frauds  are  all  the  more  to  be  feared  because  they 
are  lucrative.  I  say  then  so  as  to  return  to  the 
point,  that  one  must  assure  not  only  the  alloy,  but 
also  the  weight  of  the  moneys,  and  to  this  end 
limit  the  number  of  pieces  that  will  be  made  into 
one  mark  of  gold  or  silver,  of  the  same  weight, 
name  and  value.  And  of  these  equal  moneys  one 
can  make  eight,  sixteen,  thirty-two,  and  sixty-four 
pieces  to  the  mark,  or  more  if  they  are  needed, 
multiplying  them  in  proportion,  in  such  form  how- 
ever, that  their  smallness  does  not  make  them  too 


333  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

fragilite.  Par  ce  moyen  les  plus  grosses  monnoyes 
dont  les  huict  feront  le  marc,  peseront  chacune  vne 
once,  les  seize,  demy  once,  les  trente  deux  auront 
deux  gros  de  poids,  &  les  soixante  quatre  peseront 
chacune  vn  gros.  Alors  le  change  de  I'or  en  ar- 
gent sera  bien  ayse  non  seulement  en  masse  &  hors 
d'oeuure,  mais  en  monnoye.  Car  pour  vne  piece  d'or 
on  en  baillera  douze  d' argent  de  mesme  poids.  Lequel 
reglement  aura  lieu  tant  parmy  les  compatriotes 
que  parmy  les  estrangers,  dautant  que  le  pied  des 
215  monnoyes  estant  par  tout]  egal,  il  ne  restera  aucun 
subiect  de  les  rehausser  en  vn  pays  plus  qu'en 
r autre,  si  ce  n'est  que  les  Princes  veulent  troubler 
cest  ordre  pour  les  droicts  de  seigneuriage  traicte 
&  brassage,  qu'ils  prennent  sur  les  monnoyes  for- 
gees  en  leurs  terres:  ce  qu'ils  ne  doiuent  faire 
qu'auec  toute  moderation,  &  ne  point  tant  songer 
h  leur  profit  particulier,  qu'au  general,  a  leur  re- 
putation, &  a  I'exemple  des  autres  Souuerains, 
auec  lesquels  ils  se  doiuent  pareillement  accorder 
pour  le  reglement  de  tels  droicts.  Apres  cela, 
pour  obuier  aux  falsification  &  rongneures  des 
monnoyes,  il  sera  expedient  de  les  faire  au  moule, 
k  la  fa^on  des  anciennes  medalles,  pource  que  le 
moule  feroit  toutes  les  pieces  qui  auroient  mesme 
nom  &  valeur^  egales  en  largeur  grosseur,  poids 
&  rotondite,  lesquelles  choses  le  faux  monnoyeur 
ne  pourroit  si  bien  contrefaire  que  son  imposture 
ne   fut   descouuerte,    d'autant    que   le    cuiure    qu'il 


'  THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  334 

fragile.  By  this  means  the  biggest  moneys  of 
which  eight  will  make  the  mark,  will  weigh  each 
one  ounce,  sixteen  a  half  ounce,  thirty- two  will  have 
two  gros  of  weight,  and  sixty-four  will  weigh  each 
a  gros.  Then  the  change  of  gold  into  silver  will  be 
very  easy  not  only  in  bulk  and  out  of  works  of  art, 
but  also  in  money.  For  for  one  piece  of  gold  one  will 
hand  over  twelve  of  silver  of  the  same  weight. 
Which  regulation  will  apply  as  well  among  compa- 
triots as  among  strangers,  since  the  parity  of  moneys 
being  everywhere  equal,  there  will  remain  no  reason 
to  raise  them  in  one  country  more  than  in  another, 
unless  the  Princes  wish  to  disturb  this  order  for  the 
rights  of  seigniorage,  coining  and  minting,  which 
they  take  on  the  moneys  coined  in  their  lands: 
which  they  must  not  do  except  with  all  moderation, 
and  not  dream  so  much  of  their  individual  profit 
as  of  the  general  profit,  of  their  reputation,  and 
of  the  example  of  the  other  sovereigns,  with  whom 
they  must  mutually  agree  for  the  regulation  of 
such  rights.  After  that,  to  obviate  the  counter- 
feiting and  the  clipping  of  moneys,  it  will  be  ex- 
pedient to  coin  them  in  a  mold,  in  the  manner  of 
the  ancient  medals,  because  the  mold  will  make 
all  pieces  that  shall  have  the  same  name  and  value, 
equal  in  breadth,  thickness,  weight  and  rotundity, 
which  things  the  counterfeiter  will  not  be  able  to 
counterfeit  so  neatly  that  his  imposture  will  not 
be  discovered,  the  more  so  that  the  copper  which 


335  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

supposeroit  au  lieu  d'or  ou  d' argent,  est  de  plus 
grand  volume  en  poids  esgal,  que  ces  deux  metaux, 
estant  beaucoup  plus  leger,  &  ainsi  vn  escu  faux 

216  seroit  ayse  k  recognoistre]  en  le  confrontant  auec 
vn  autre  qui  seroit  de  bonne  mise.  Maintenant 
on  a  des  moulins  k  forger  monnoyes  qui  peuuent 
bien  seiniir  k  cest  effet,  dont  le  premier  fut  dresse 
a  Paris  des  I'an  mil  cinq  cens  cinquante  trois. 
Quoy  que  plusieurs  n'en  approuuent  point  I'vsage, 
si  est-ce  qu'il  peut  apporter  plus  de  profit  que 
d'inconuenient,  &  on  a  veu  fort  peu  de  pieces  au 
moulin  falsifiees,  ou  rongnees,  les  faussaires  crai- 
gnans  d'estre  descouuers  par  le  moyen  que  nous 
venons  de  representer,  c'est  k  dire  par  la  con- 
frontation de  la  monnoye  fausse  auec  la  legitime 
pour  le  regard  du  volume  &  du  poids.  Car  les 
pieces  de  mesme  tiltre  &  loy  se  feront  tousiours 
esgales  au  moulin  qui  escache,  au  coupoir  qui 
coupe,  &  a  la  presse  qui  serre  tousiours  egalement 
ce  qui  ne  se  peut  faire  au  marteau,  n'estant  pas 
conduit  ny  manie  par  forces  ou  mesures  semblables. 
Ceste  inegalite  sert  de  pretexte  aux  faux  mon- 
noyeurs  &  rongneurs,  qui  ne  craignent  rien  tant 
que  de  voir  les  monnoyes  reduictes  a  vne  egalite 
de  forme,  poids,  &  volume,  dautant  que  cela  leur 

217  oste  tous]  moyens  de  desguiser  leur  artifice.  Et 
pour  les  trauerser  encore  dauantage,  il  faudroit 
renouueller  Tordonnance  de  Charlemagne,  par  la- 
quelle  il  defendit  de  forger  monnoye  ailleurs  qu'en 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  336 

he  will  substitute  in  place  of  gold  or  silver,  is  of 
much  greater  volume  in  equal  weight,  than  those 
two  metals,  being  very  much  lighter,  and  thus 
a  false  ecu  will  be  easy  to  recognize  by  comparing 
it  with  another  of  good  alloy.  Now  there  are  mints 
to  coin  moneys,  which  can  serve  well  for  this  pur- 
pose, of  which  the  first  was  built  at  Paris  as  far 
back  as  the  year  one  thousand  five  hundred  and 
fifty-three.  Although  many  do  not  approve  their 
use,  yet  it  is  a  fact  that  they  bring  more  advantage 
than  inconvenience,  and  one  has  seen  very  few 
pieces  at  the  mints  counterfeited,  or  clipped,  the 
falsifiers  fearing  to  be  discovered,  by  the  means 
that  we  have  just  mentioned,  that  is  to  say  by  the 
comparison  of  the  false  money  with  the  genuine 
money  in  the  matter  of  volume  and  weight.  For 
the  pieces  of  the  same  title  and  alloy  will  be  always 
equal  at  the  mint  that  stamps,  at  the  cutter  that 
cuts,  and  at  the  press  which  presses  always  equally, 
which  cannot  be  done  with  the  hammer,  this  not 
being  conducted  nor  handled  by  similar  forces 
or  measures.  This  inequality  serves  for  pretext 
to  the  counterfeiters  and  clippers,  who  fear  nothing 
so  much  as  to  see  the  moneys  reduced  to  an  equality 
of  form,  weight  and  volume,  since  that  takes  away 
from  them  all  means  of  disguising  their  frauds. 
And  to  upset  them  still  more,  it  would  be  well  to 
renew  the  edict  of  Charlemagne,  whereby  he  for- 
bade to  coin  money  elsewhere  than  in  his  palace. 


337  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

son  Palais.  Bien  que  son  empire  fut  de  grande 
estendue,  neantmoins  il  ne  destinoit  qu'vn  lieu  a 
vn  tel  affaire.  Aussi  en  vne  monarchic  il  suffira 
de  choisir  pour  la  forge  des  monnoycs  vne  ville 
ou  detix  tout  au  plus,  afin  de  retrancher  les 
occasions  de  mal  faire  aux  hommes  cauteleaux. 
Mais  le  principal  remede  c'est  d'abolir  le  billon, 
qui  est  tousiours  inegal  &  incertain,  &  partant 
n'est  pas  propre  pour  entretenir  la  proportion  de 
Tor  h  I'argent,  ny  pour  le  change  de  ces  metaux. 
Ce  qu'on  a  recogneu  en  France,  lors  qu'on  aifoiblit 
les  douzains,  dont  les  soixante  payoient  I'escu, 
iagoit  que  leur  fin  ne  valust  pas  cinquante  trois 
solds.  Pour  ceste  mesme  consideration  ie  conseil- 
lerois  aussi  de  descrier  la  monnoye  de  cuiure,  pource 
qu'on  a  forge  n'agueres  des  doubles  &  deniers, 
qui  ne  payoient  pas  la  bonte  de  I'escu,  encore  qu'on 
218  en  baillest  pour  neuf  liures  quinjze  solds,  selon 
I'estimation  commune.  Qui  est  vne  perte  incroy- 
able  pour  le  menu  peuple,  &  aussi  pour  les  mar- 
guiliers,  mendians,  &  hospitaux,  qui  ne  regoiuent 
autre  chose.  II  vaudroit  done  mieux  pour  I'ac- 
complissement  de  ceste  police  reduire  toutes  les 
monnoyes  h  deux  especes  comme  on  a  faict  en 
quelques  Royaumes,  &  d'vn  marc  d' argent  faire 
autant  de  petit es  pieces  qu'on  pourroit,  qui  tien- 
droit  la  place  des  doubles  &  deniers  de  cuiure, 
pour  s'en  seruir  pour  les  aumosnes,  &  achapt 
des  plus  viles  marchandises.  II  ne  seroit  pas  ne- 
cessaire  de  forger   huict   mil   pieces   au   marc  k  la 


THE    NEW   CYNEAS.  33S 

Even  though  his  empire  was  of  wide  extent,  never- 
theless he  assigned  only  one  place  for  such  a 
business.  Therefore  in  a  monarchy  it  will  suffice 
to  choose  for  the  coining  of  moneys  one  town  or 
two  at  the  most,  in  order  to  cut  down  the  oppor- 
tunities of  wrongdoing  for  crafty  men.  But  the 
chief  remedy  is  to  aboHsh  the  copper  money,  which 
is  always  unequal  and  uncertain,  and  therefore 
is  not  proper  to  maintain  the  ratio  of  gold  to  silver, 
nor  for  the  exchange  of  those  metals.  Which  was 
recognized  in  France,  when  they  debased  the  dou- 
zains,  of  which  sixty  paid  the  ecu,  [although]  I  know 
that  their  end  was  not  worth  fifty-three  solds.  For 
this  same  reason  I  shall  counsel  also  to  discard 
the  money  of  brass,  because  there  were  coined 
formerly  doubles  and  deniers,  which  did  not  pay 
the  value  of  the  ecu,  even  when  one  gave  them  for 
nine  livres  fifteen  solds,  according  to  their  common 
acceptation.  Which  is  an  incredible  loss  for  the 
small  people,  and  also  for  the  church  wardens,  beg- 
gars, and  hospitals,  who  received  nothing  else. 
It  would  be  better  then  for  the  carrying  out  of  this 
policy  to  reduce  all  the  moneys  to  two  kinds  as 
has  been  done  in  some  kingdoms,  and  of  one  silver 
mark  make  as  many  little  pieces  as  one  could, 
which  would  take  the  place  of  the  doubles  and  deniers 
of  copper,  to  serve  for  the  charities;  and  the  buying 
of  the  more  common  merchandise.  It  would  not 
be  necessary  to  coin  eight  thousand  to  the  mark 


339  LE    NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

fagon  de  Lorraine.  Ce  seroit  assez  d'en  faire  deux 
mil,  afin  qu'elles  fussent  plus  fermes  &  plus  ay  sees  k 
garder.  Que  si  on  ne  veut  bannir  la  monnoye  de 
cuiure,  comme  devray  il  est  difficile  de  s'en  passer, 
pour  le  moins  qu'elle  soit  pure,  &  sans  mistion 
d'autre  metail,  &  qu'on  luy  donne  vn  prix  perma- 
nent, non  pas  variable,  comme  il  fut  iadis  en  la 
ville    de    Rome,    ou   le    denier   d' argent    qui    selon 

219  r  opinion  de  plusieurs  pesoit  autant  que]  la  drachme 
ou  gros  de  nostre  temps,  valoit  dix  asses,  c'est  k 
dire  dix  liures  d'airain,  la  liure  alors  est  ant  de  douze 
onces:  tellement  qu'vne  liure  d' argent  en  valoit 
neuf  cens  soixante  d'airain  &  au  bout  de  quelque 
temps  on  diminua  tellement  le  poids  de  I'asse, 
que  d'vn  on  en  fit  vingt  quatre,  du  poids  de  demi 
once  chacun,  qui  auoient  la  mesme  estimation 
que  lors  qu'ils  pesoient  vne  liure.  Et  toutesfois 
la  moindre  monnoye  doibt  auoir  vn  prix  arreste, 
pource  que  c'est  la  regie  &  mesure  des  autres.  II 
faut  done  ou  deffendre  totalement  I'vsage  de 
cuiure  pour  la  monnoye,  ou  luy  donner  vn  certain 
prix  qui  demeure  h,  iamais,  aussi  bien  que  celuy 
d'or  &  d' argent,  afin  que  chacun  soit  asseure  de 
ce  qu'il  aura  valiant.  Or  quant  au  billon,  ie  sgay 
qu'on  ne  le  peut  descrier  sans  faire  tort  au  peuple, 
qui  perdra  beaucoup  si  on  reduict  les  monnoyes  h. 
la  cy  dessus  mentionnee:  mais  aussi  il  sera  asseure 

220  d'auoir  k  I'aduenir  de  bonnes  monnoyes,]  &  n'aura 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  340 

according  to  the  custom  of  Lorraine.  It  would  be 
enough  to  make  two  thousand,  so  that  they  would 
be  firmer  and  more  easier  to  keep.  But  if  one  did 
not  wish  to  banish  the  copper  money,  and  in  truth 
it  is  difficult  to  get  on  without  it,  at  least  let  it  be 
pure,  and  without  mixture  of  other  metal,  and  let 
one  give  it  a  fixed  price,  not  variable  as  it  was  for- 
merly in  the  city  of  Rome,  where  the  silver  denier 
which  according  to  the  opinion  of  many  weighed 
as  much  as  the  dram  or  gros  of  our  time,  was 
worth  ten  asses,  that  is  to  say,  ten  pounds  of  brass, 
a  pound  then  being  of  twelve  ounces:  so  much  so 
that  a  pound  of  silver  was  worth  nine  hundred  and 
sixty  pounds  of  brass  and  after  awhile  they  dimin- 
ished so  much  the  weight  of  the  asse,  that  of  one 
they  made  twenty-four,  of  the  weight  of  a  half 
ounce  each,  which  had  the  same  designation  as 
when  they  weighed  one  pound.  And  nevertheless 
the  smallest  money  must  have  a  fixed  price,  because 
it  is  the  rule  and  measure  of  the  others.  One  must 
then  either  forbid  entirely  the  use  of  copper  for 
money,  or  give  it  a  certain  price  which  remains  for 
all  time,  as  well  as  that  of  gold  and  silver,  so  that 
everyone  may  be  assured  of  the  value  of  what  he 
has.  Now  as  to  the  copper  coin,  I  know  that  one 
cannot  degrade  it  without  doing  a  wrong  to  the 
people,  who  will  lose  much  if  one  reduces  the  moneys 
to  that  above  mentioned:  but  also  they  will  be  as- 
sured to  have  in  the  future  good  moneys,  and  will 


341  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

point  occasion  d'apprehender  vn  rehaussement 
ou  descry  d'icelles,  comme  il  arriue  trop  sou- 
uent.  Et  la  perte  qu'il  peut  souffrir  en  ceste 
police  ne  sera  iamais  si  grande,  que  I'vtilite  de  la 
paix  generale:  ioinct  que  le  Monarque  peut 
d'ailleurs  recompenser  son  peuple  &  preuenir  le 
mescontentement  caus6  d'vne  telle  nouueaute, 
en  rabbaissant  les  tailles,  &  en  faisant  distribuer 
gratuitement  du  bled  ou  autres  viures,  aux  plus 
necessiteux,  afin  qu'ils  portent  patiemment  le  descri 
de  leur  billon,  dont  eux  &  leur  posterite  receuront 
finalement  le  fruict.  En  somme  il  ne  faut  craindre 
d'entreprendre  vne  chose  qui  est  necessaire,  & 
facile  a  executer,  pourueu  que  la  paix  soit  vniuer- 
selle.  Mais  pour  bien  commencer  cest  affaire, 
il  faudroit  qu'vn  puissant  Prince  exhort ast  tous 
les  autres  h  suiure  le  reglement  susdict,  afin  que 
les  passages  estans  libres  &  le  commerce  estant 
ouuert  par  le  moyen  de  la  paix,  on  puisse  trafi- 
quer  par  tout  sans  dommage.  II  n'y  a  personne 
qui  soit  plus  capable  de  cela  que  le  Pape,  Cest 
221  son  deuoir  de  moyenner  vne  concorjde  general 
entre  les  Princes  Chrestiens.  Et  pour  le  regard 
des  Mahometans,  qui  font  vne  notable  partie  du 
monde,  le  Roy  de  France  pour  le  credit  &  repu- 
tation qu'il  a  parmy  eux,  pourra  plus  aysement  les 
faire  condescendre  h  la  paix.  Car  I'Empereur,  les 
Roys  d'Hespagne,  de  Pologne,  de  Perse,  &  d'^thi- 
opie,  feroient  peut-estre  quelque  difficulte  d'en- 
uoyer  sur  ce  subiect  leurs  Ambassadeurs  au  grand 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  342 

not  have  occasion  to  fear  a  raising  or  debasing 
of  them,  as  happens  too  often.  And  the  loss  that 
they  can  suffer  in  this  poUcy  will  never  be  so  great, 
as  the  utility  of  a  general  peace:  added  that  the 
monarch  can  besides  reward  his  people  and  prevent 
the  discontent  caused  by  such  a  novelty,  by  lowering 
the  taxes,  and  by  making  a  gratuitous  distribution 
of  wheat  or  other  foods,  to  the  most  needy,  so  that 
they  will  bear  patiently  the  discrediting  of  their 
copper,  of  which  they  and  their  posterity  will 
finally  receive  the  fruits.  In  fine  one  must  not  fear 
to  undertake  a  thing  which  is  necessary,  and  easy 
to  execute,  provided  that  peace  be  universal.  But 
in  order  to  begin  this  affair  properly,  it  would  be 
necessary  that  a  powerful  Prince  should  exhort 
all  the  others  to  follow  the  regulation  described 
above,  in  order  that  the  passages  being  free  and 
commerce  being  open  by  means  of  peace,  one  can 
trade  everywhere  without  damage.  There  is  no 
one  more  capable  of  that  than  the  Pope.  It  is  his 
duty  to  bring  about  a  general  concord  between  the 
Christian  Princes.  And  as  regards  the  Mahometans, 
who  form  a  notable  part  of  the  world,  the  King 
of  France,  on  account  of  the  credit  and  reputation 
that  he  has  among  them,  will  more  easily  make  them 
condescend  to  peace.  For  the  Emperor,  the  Kings 
of  Spain,  of  Poland,  of  Persia,  and  of  Ethiopia, 
would  make  perhaps  some  difficulty  to  send  on 
this  subject  their  ambassadors  to  the  Grand  Turk, 


343  LE   NOVVEAV   CYNEE. 

Seigneur,  &  craindroient  qu'on  eust  opinion  que 
la  crainte  qu'ils  auroient  de  sa  puissance  ne  les 
contraignit  de  pourchasser  la  paix.  Laquelle  con- 
sideration n'a  point  de  lieu  pour  le  regard  de 
nostre  Roy,  d'autant  qu'il  n'a  point  d'occasion 
de  redouter  I'Empereur  des  Turcs:  voila  pourquoy 
il  peut  honor ablement  entreprendre  cest  affaire, 
attendu  mesme  I'ancienne  alliance  qui  est  entre 
les  deux  Royaumes  de  France  &  Turquie.  Quoy 
que  ce  soit,  il  est  bien  scant  que  les  Chrestiens  par- 
lent  de  la  paix  les  premiers,  quand  ce  ne  seroit  que 
pour  auoir  la  liberte  d'aller  au  sainct  sepulchre,  & 
eux  estans  d'accord  auec  le  Turc  pourront  sans  diffi- 
222  culte]  obtenir  aussi  la  paix  des  autres  Monarques, 
qui  ne  sont  assex  forts  pour  resister  k  deux  partis 
si  puissans.  Nous  lisons  que  rHermite  Simonet 
Camertin  accorda  Francois  Sforce  auec  les  Venitiens. 
On  a  veu  depuis  quatre  vingts  ans  les  deux  plus 
grands  Princes  de  la  chrestiente  deux  fois  recon- 
ciliez  par  I'entremise  d'vn  simple  Religieux:  A 
plus  forte  raison  nous  deuons  esperer  vne  bonne 
paix,  si  les  Souuerains  s'en  meslent.  Dieu  qui 
manie  le  coeur  des  Roys  les  vueille  disposer  a  vne 
si  sainct e  ent reprise,  afin  de  faire  cesser  tant  de 
maux,  &  de  ramener  ce  beau  siecle  que  les  anciens 
Theologiens  promettent  apres  la  reuolution  de 
six  mille  ans.  Car  ils  disent  qu'alors  le  monde 
viura  heureusement  &  en  repos:  Or  est-il  que  ce 
terme  est  tantost  expire,  &  quand  il  ne  le  seroit  pas. 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  344 

and  they  might  fear  that  the  idea  might  arise  that 
the  fear  that  they  had  of  his  power  forced  them  to 
purchase  peace.  Which  consideration  has  no  point 
as  regards  our  King,  since  he  has  no  reason  to  fear 
the  Emperor  of  the  Turks :  that  is  why  he  can  honor- 
ably undertake  this  affair,  the  more  on  account 
of  the  ancient  alHance  which  exists  between  the  two 
monarchies  of  France  and  Turkey.  However  this 
may  be,  it  is  very  fitting  that  the  Christians  should 
speak  of  peace  first,  if  it  were  only  to  have  the 
freedom  of  going  to  the  holy  sepulchre,  and  they 
being  in  accord  with  the  Turk  will  also  be  able  with- 
out difficulty  to  obtain  peace  from  the  other 
monarchs,  who  are  not  strong  enough  to  resist  two 
such  powerful  parties.  We  read  that  the  hermit 
Simonet  Camertin  reconciled  Francis  Sforza  with 
the  Venetians.  One  has  seen  since  eighty  years 
the  two  greatest  Princes  of  Christendom  twice 
reconciled  by  the  enterprise  of  a  monk.  For  all 
the  more  reason  we  must  hope  for  a  good  peace, 
if  the  sovereigns  take  a  hand  in  it  themselves. 
May  God  who  rules  the  hearts  of  kings  wish  to 
dispose  them  to  so  holy  an  undertaking,  in  order 
to  cause  to  cease  so  many  evils,  and  to  bring  back 
that  beautiful  century  which  the  ancient  theo- 
logians promise  after  there  have  rolled  by  six 
thousand  years.  For  they  say  that  then  the  world 
will  live  happily  and  in  repose :  Now  it  happens  that 
that  time  has  nearly  expired,  and  even  if  it  is  not, 


345  LE   NOVVEAV   CYN^E. 

il  ne  tient  qu'aux  Princes  de  donner  par  ad- 
uance  ceste  f elicit e  k  leurs  peuples.  Que  voulons- 
nous  faire  auec  ces  armes?  Viurons  nous  tousiours 
a  la  fagon  des  bestes?  Encore  si  nous  procedions 
en   cecy   d'vne   pareille   moderation.     Car  elles   ne 

223  se  battent]  iamais  en  troupe,  &  ne  se  font  point  la 
guerre  sinon  lors  que  la  faim  les  presse  ou  quelque 
autre  necessite  les  pousse.  Les  hommes  forment 
vne  querelle  pour  peu  de  chose,  quelquesfois  de 
gayete  de  coeur  ils  se  mettent  en  campagne,  non 
pour  combattre  seul  a  seul,  mais  dix  mille  contre 
dix  mille,  afin  d'auoir  le  passe -temps  de  voir  vn 
tas  de  morts,  &  les  ruisseaux  de  sang  humain 
coulans  parmy  la  plaine.  Represent ons  no 'deux 
armees  prestes  a  s'entrechocquer,  les  regards  fu- 
rieux,  les  faces  hideuses  des  soldats,  les  menaces, 
les  cris  barbares,  qui  se  font  d'vne  part  &  d'autre, 
accompagnez  d'vn  tonnerre  de  canons:  puis  vne 
approche  &  melee  espou  vent  able,  vne  boucherie- 
d'hommes,  les  vns  desmembrez,  les  autres  h  demi 
morts  qui  implorent  la  main  de  leurs  compagnons, 
&  les  coniurent  de  leur  donner  vn  coup  mortel, 
afin  d'abreger  les  tourmens  de  leur  miserable  & 
languissante  vie.  Apres  le  carnage  s' est  end  sur 
les  personnes  foibles:  les  vieillards  sont  massacrez, 
les  enfans  tuez  ou  emmenez  captifs,  les  femmes 
violees,   les   temples   profanez,    tout   est   a  I'aban- 

224  don,  &  rien  ne  se]  trouue  asseure  que  I'iniustice. 
Et    tout    cela    est    ordinairement    suiuy   de    deux 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  346 

it  depends  only  on  the  Princes  to  give  beforehand 
this  happiness  to  their  peoples:    What  do  we  wish 
to  do  with  these  arms?     Shall  we  always  live  like 
beasts?      Even    if    we    proceed    in    this    with    as 
much     moderation.       For     they     never     fight     in 
masses,    and    they    do    not    make    war    upon  one 
another    except    when    hunger    presses    them   or 
when    some    other    necessity    urges    them.      Men 
make  a  quarrel  for  small  things,   sometimes  with 
a  light  heart  they  take  the  field,  not  to  fight  one 
to  one,  but  ten  thousand  against  ten  thousand,  in 
order  to  have  the  sport  of  seeing  a  heap  of  dead, 
and  streams  of  himian  blood  flowing  in  the  plain. 
Let  us  imagine  to  ourselves  two  armies  ready  to 
rush  upon  one  another,  the  furious  looks,  the  hide- 
ous faces  of  the  soldiers,  the  threats,  the  barbarous 
cries,  which  are  made  from  one  side  and  the  other, 
accompanied  with  a  thunder  of  cannons:    then  an 
advance  and  terrible  hand  to  hand  strife,  a  slaughter 
of  men,  some  with  their  limbs  lopped  off,  others  half 
dead  who  beg  the  hand  of  their  companions,  and 
beseech  them  to  give  them  a  mortal  blow,  in  order 
to    shorten   the   torments   of   their   miserable    and 
ebbing   life.      Afterwards    the    carnage    extends  to 
feeble  persons:    the   old   men   are   massacred,    the 
children  killed  or  led  away  captives,   the  women 
violated,    the   temples  profaned;    everything  is  in 
a  state  of  anarchy,  and  nothing  is  assured  except 
injustice.     And   all   that  is  generally  followed  by 


347  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

autres  maux,  famine  &  peste.  Car  le  labourage  ces- 
sant  k  r occasion  de  la  guerre,  le  peuple  n'a  dequoy 
s' aliment er,  &  est  contraint  de  manger  indifferem- 
ment  toute  sorte  de  viandes,  bonnes  &  mauuaises, 
lesquelles  au  lieu  de  seruir  de  nourriture  engen- 
drent  des  humeurs  corrompues,  d'ou  s'ensuiuent 
des  dyssenteries,  &  maladies  contagieuses.  Helas 
qu'Heraclite  auoit  raison  de  deplorer  I'aueuglement 
de  I'homme  qui  se  cause  luy-mesme  tant  de  miseres! 
Miseres  qui  rendent  sa  condition  pire  que  celle  ces 
bestes,  de  sorte  qu'il  ne  se  faut  point  estonner  si 
Gryllus,  apres  auoir  este  metamorphose  en  pour- 
ceau,  aymoit  mieux  demeurer  en  tel  est  at,  que  de 
retourner  en  sa  premiere  figure.  Aussi  le  sage 
Plotin  estoit  honteux  d' est  re  homme,  &  ne  vouloit 
iamais  parler  de  ses  parens  ny  de  sa  naissance. 
Et  auiourd'huy  qui  faict  que  nous  voyons  tant 
de  Timons  &  d'hommes  solitaires?  Si  nous  disons 
que  ce  sons  des  hypocondriaques,  ils  pourront 
225  dire  a]  bon  droict,  que  nous  les  f aisons  deuenir  tels. 
Les  meschancetez,  vilenies,  &  cruautez  qu'ils  voyent 
tous  les  iours,  sont  capables  de  leur  faire  hayr  le 
monde,  &  faudroit  estre  insensible  pour  ne  s'en 
esmouuoir.  Or  quand  il  n'y  auroit  autre  consid- 
eration que  la  brieuete  de  nostre  vie,  &  la  certitude 
de  la  mort,  qui  nous  menace  a  tous  momens,  nous 
deurions  auoir  honte  de  nous  tant  tourmenter 
pour  vn  honneur  imaginaire,  &  ferions  mieux 
d'imiter  les  ^gyptiens  qui  apportoient  vn  Skelet  ou 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  348 

two  other  evils,  famine  and  pestilence.  For 
the  farming  stopping  on  the  occasion  of  war,  the 
people  have  not  enough  to  feed  themselves,  and 
are  forced  indifferently  to  eat  all  sorts  of  victuals, 
good  and  bad,  which  instead  of  serving  as  nour- 
ishment give  birth  to  corrupt  humors,  from  which 
follow  dysentery,  and  contagious  maladies.  Oh 
that  Heraclitus  was  right  to  deplore  the  blindness 
of  man  who  brings  on  himself  so  many  miseries! 
Miseries  that  render  his  condition  worse  than  that 
of  beasts,  so  that  one  must  not  be  astonished 
if  Gryllus,  after  having  been  metamorphosed  into  a 
pig,  preferred  to  remain  in  such  a  state,  than  to 
return  to  his  first  form.  And  therefore  the  wise 
Plotinus  was  ashamed  of  being  a  man,  and  would 
never  speak  of  his  parents  nor  of  his  birth.  And 
to-day  wherefore  do  we  see  so  many  Timons  and 
solitary  men?  If  we  say  that  they  are  hypochon- 
driacs, they  can  well  say,  that  we  cause  them  to 
become  such.  The  wickednesses,  villainies,  and 
cruelties  that  they  see  every  day  are  sufficient 
to  make  them  hate  the  world,  and  one  would  have 
to  be  insensible  not  to  be  moved  by  it.  More- 
over even  if  there  were  no  other  consideration  than 
the  briefness  of  our  life,  and  the  certitude  of  death, 
which  threatens  us  at  every  instant,  we  should  be 
ashamed  to  torment  ourselves  so  much  for  an 
imaginary  honor,  and  would  do  better  to  imitate 
the   Egyptians   who   brought   a   skeleton   or   other 


349  LE    NOVVEAV    CYNEE. 

quelque  autre  representation  de  mort  au  milieu 
d'vn  banquet,  afin  de  conuier  les  assistans  k  se 
resiouyr  &  faire  bonne  chere  tandis  qu'ils  en 
auoient  1' occasion.  Mais  il  faut  viser  plus  haut 
&  considerer  qu'il  y  a  vn  Dieu  qui  punit  les  pechez 
des  hommes,  sur  tout  I'arrogance  &  la  cruaute: 
quittons  ces  deux  vices,  &  les  guerres  cesseront. 
Nous  remettrons  I'espee  au  fourreau  quand  nous 
aurons  pense  a  la  vanite  des  opinions,  qui  nous 
font  prendre  les  armes.  Laissons  adorer  les  glaius 
aux  Scythes:  Plustost  imitons  les  Esseens  qui 
226  n' auoient  entre  eux]  aucun  armurier:  ou  bien  ces 
anciens  peuples  de  Catay,  qui  ne  sgauoient  que 
c'estoit  de  tuer  ny  de  malfaire.  Quant  a  moy 
ie  ne  puis  en  cecy  apporter  que  des  voeux  &  humbles 
remonstrances,  qui  seront  peut-estre  inutiles.  Ten 
ay  voulu  neantmoins  laisser  ce  tesmoignage  k  la 
posterite.  S'il  ne  sert  de  rien,  patience.  C'est 
peu  de  chose,  de  perdre  du  papier,  &  des  paroles. 
Ie  protesteray  en  ce  cas  comme  Solon  d'auoir  dit 
&  faict  ce  qui  m'a  este  possible  pour  Ie  bien  pu- 
blic, &  quelques  vns  qui  liront  ce  petit  liure,  m'en 
sgauront  gre,  &  m'honoreront  comme  i'espere 
de  leur  souuenance. 

FIN 

F antes   suruenues   h   V Impression. 
Pag.     13.     tous    subiects.     lisez    ses    subiects. 
Pag.    16.     ont    la    fagon.     lisez    k    la    fa$on. 
Pag.  106.     Gaulois.     lisez   Gantois. 


THE    NEW    CYNEAS.  350 

reminder  of  death  in  the  midst  of  a  banquet,  in 
order  to  invite  the  assistants  to  rejoice,  and  eat  well 
while  they  had  the  opportunity.  But  we  must 
aim  higher  and  consider  that  there  is  a  God  who 
punishes  the  sins  of  men,  especially  arrogance 
and  cruelty:  let  us  cast  off  those  two  vices,  and 
wars  will  cease.  We  will  put  back  the  sword  into 
the  scabbard  when  we  shall  have  thought  over  the 
vanity  of  the  opinions,  that  make  us  take  up  arms. 
Let  us  allow  the  Scythians  to  adore  the  sword: 
Rather  let  us  imitate  the  Essenes  who  had  among 
them  no  armorer:  or  else  those  ancient  people  of 
Cathay,  who  did  not  know  what  it  was  to  kill  or 
do  evil.  As  for  me  I  can  in  this  only  bring  wishes 
and  humble  remonstrances,  which  perhaps  will  be 
useless.  I  have  wished,  nevertheless,  to  leave  this 
testimony  to  posterity.  If  it  serves  nothing, 
patience.  It  is  a  small  matter,  to  lose  paper,  and 
words.  I  shall  protest  in  that  case  like  Solon  of 
having  said  and  done  what  was  possible  for  me  for 
the  public  good,  and  some  few  who  read  this  little 
book,  will  be  grateful  to  me  for  it,  and  will  honor 
me  as  I  hope  with  their  remembrance. 

THE  END. 

Faults  in  the  printing. 

Page    13.     all  subjects,     read  his  subjects. 

Page    16.     have  the  manner,   read  in  the  manner. 

Page  106.     Gauls,     read  inhabitants  of  Ghent. 


TABLE  DES  MATIERES 


CONTENUES  EN  CE  LIU  RE 


The  page  numbers  of  the  original  text  will  be 
found  on  the  margin  of  this  reprint  of  the  French 
text.  The  index,  a  reprint  of  Cruce's  index,  refers 
to  this  original  pagination. 


TABLE   DES    MATIERES 
CONTENUES   EN   CE  LIURE 


A. 


PAGE 


ABbaye  iadis  donnee  aux  seigneurs  laiques,  qui  en  por- 

toient  le  tiltre  pag 146 

Agesilaus  ne  recognoist  point  le  Roy  de  Perse  plus  grand 

que  luy  s'il  n'est  plus  iuste 24 

Aigles  se  prescriuent  vn  certain  espace   pour  chercher 

leur  proye 25 

Alexandre   Seuere  ne   pouuoit  regarder  vn  larron  sans 
nausee,  90.     ne  vouloit  vendre  les  offices,  134.     cere- 

monieux  a  donner  les  estats 136 

Alger  retraicte  des  Corsaires 37 

Allemans  exercent  leur  ieunesse  au  brigandage 20 

Ambition  est  aueugle,  98.     arme  le  fils  contre  le  pere.  .  .  ibid 
Ameriquains  par  leurs  diuisions  ont  ouuert  leur  pays  aux 
Hespagnols.    77.     traictez    comme    bestes   par   leurs 

Roys 89 

Amphictions  arbitres  des  differens  de  la  Grece 72 

Andronique  Empereur    punissoit  les  fautes  de  ses  offi- 

ciers  rigoureusement 91 

Anglois  n'estoient  que  pirates  auparauant  qu'ils  eussent 

conqueste  la  grand'  Bretagne 75 

Apicius  iEsope  &  Asinius  Celier  maistres  gourmands —    127 

Arbitres  doiuent  iuger  les  differends  des  Princes 18 

Arnoul  Due  de  Gueldres  fils  desnature 98 

Arts  mechaniques  vtiles  k  vn  estat 42 

Artisans  mesprisez  mal  a  propos  par  Lycurgue 44 

Assemblee  generale  des  Ambassadeurs  de  tous  les  Sou- 
uerians  necessaire  pour  maintenir  la  paix.  60.     Order 

requis  pour  la  seance  en  ladicte  assemblee 63  &c. 

(354) 


355  TABLE    DES    MATIERES. 

PAGE 

Atheniens  pensoient  que  la  Lune  de  leur  pays  fut 
meilleure  que  celle  des  autres 52 

Auguste  borne  volontairement  son  Empire.  25.  Ses 
flottes  en  diuers  lieux 41 


B. 

B Anquets  somptueux  doiuent  estre  deff endus 127 

Basile  Macedonien  fit  rapporter  la  moitie  des  dons  mal 
obtenus,    153.     Son  reglement  pour  I'expedition  des 

procez 160 

Bestes  farouches  ennemies  natturelles  des  hommes.   6. 

Nous  surpassent  beaucoup  en  force  &  valeur 7 

Billon  doibt  estre  deffendu 217 

Bodin  repris 66  &  202 

Bordeaux  ne  doiuent  estre  tolerez 125 


C. 

CAlender  contrefaisant  le  deuot  trouble  la  Nalolie 102 

Censure  necessaire 181 

Cesar  rend  le  tiltre  d'Empereur  seigneurial 66 

Charles   cinquiesme   s'efforce   en  vain   d'exterminer  les 

Protestans 58 

Chasse  exercice  propre  aux  soldats 26 

Childeric  &  Charles  le  simple  degradez  pour  leur  incapa- 

cite 95 

Chinois  marient  leurs  enf ans  de  bonne  heure 125 

Chrestiens    estant    d'accord    auec    les    Turcs,    on    peut 

facilement  auoir  la  paix  vniuerselle.    14.     lis  ne  se 

maintiennent  pas  si  bien  que  les  Turcs ibid 

Colonies  auiourd'huy  sont  rares 4 

Comedies   tolerables   &    vtiles    en   vn    estat.    177.     ap- 

prouuees  par  les  Theologiens  auec  modification.   178. 

def endues  a  Marseille 177 

Commerce   facilite   en   ioignant    deux   riuieres   ou   deux 

mers 34.  35.36.  &  41 

Consaires  dangereux,  &  le  moyen  de  les  ranger 37.41 


TABLE    DES    MATIERES.  356 

^'  PAGE 

DAuid  n'ose  toucher  k  Saul  Roy  son  ennemy 104 

Denombrement  des  personnes  &  biens  tres-vtile 169 

Dieu  demande  plus  le  coeur  des  hommes  que  les  sacrifices. 

SO.     II  oste  les  sceptres  &  transfere  quand  bon  luy 

s6mble 78 

Doctes    hommes    iadis   bien   appointez.    138.     les    plus 

vaillans  peuples  auiourd'huy  en  font  estat 140 

Domaine  engage  doit  estre  rachepte 171 

Dons  du  Prince  doiuent  estre  reglez.  142.     doiuent  estre 

verifiez 153 

Dragut   &    Barberousse   corsaires   attirez   par  le   grand 

Seigneur 40 

Druides  iugeoient  les  differens  des  Gaulois 72 

Duchez  anciennement  n'estoient  perpetuels 145 

Duels  en  quels  cas  permis.  120.     iadis  inusitez 122 

E. 

ELmahel  s'empare  de  Marroc 102 

Empereur  Romain  k  plus  d 'occasion  de  se  plaindre 
qu'vn  autre  Prince.  15.  Se  doibt  pourtant  con- 
tenter  de  ce  qu'il  tient.  ibid.  Est  souuerain.  64.  Ce 
nom  est  rendu  seigneurial  par  Cesar 66 

Enfans  ambitieux  qui  ont  oste  la  couronne  k  leurs 
peres.  98.  comment  ils  doiuent  estre  instruicts.  187. 
Enfans  estoient  en  Egypte  &  en  Sparte  du  mestier 
de  leur  pere 188 

Estrangers  doiuent  estre  garantis  d'oppression.  192. 
Chassez  de  Sparte,  mais  cheris  en  Lucanie,  Athenes  & 
Rome 94 

Exercices  propres  aux  soldats 26 

F. 

FAineants  dangereux  en  vn  estat.  28.  punis  en  Egypte, 
Athenes  &  en  la  Chine.  29.  Excitoient  des  seditions  a 
Rome.  28.     le  Prince  Hipparque  les  craignoit 29 

Fiefs  &  leur  origine 145 


3  57  TABLE    DES    MATIERES. 

PAGB 

Flateurs  pemicieux 87 

Frangois  cogneus  depuis  1400.  ans 75 

Franfois  premier  prend  en  sa  protection  Robert  de  la 
Marche.  193.     refuse  cette  des  Gantois ibidem 

G. 

GAntois  n'ont  rien  profite  contre  Charles  cinquiesme. ...    106 
Gots    ont    faict    parler    d'eux    depuis    Valentinian.    75. 

mesprisent  les  lettres.  139.  ont  regne  peu  de  temps.  .  140 
Guerres  ne  se  doiuent  entreprendre  temerairement.  84. 
Difficultez  en  leur  entreprise.  ibid,  diminuent  la 
religion  au  lieu  de  I'aduancer.  56.  Guerres  estrangeres 
neviennent  que  de  quatre  causes.  4.  I'honneur  est 
bien  engage  aux  guerres.  9.  Guerriers  sont  d'vn 
naturel  turbulent.  21.  est  plus  dangereux  de  les  trop 
estimer  que  de  les  abbaiser ibid 

H. 

HAbits  somptueux  doiuent  estre  defendus 129 

Hespagnols  ofTrent  leur  Royaume  au  Due  de  Calabre.  97. 
auec  petit  nombre  conquestent  le  nouueau  monde.  ...      76 

Hommes  de  trois  sortes,  k  sjauoir  les  gens  de  bien,  les 
meschans,  &  les  imbecilles.  80.  hommes  ne  se  doiuent 
reputer  estrangers  les  vns  les  autres 4 

Honneur  est  le  plus  grand  loyer  qu'on  puisse  receuoir.  143. 
Honneur  defer^  aux  soldats.  4.  Vanity  de  I'honneur 
des  armes  recogneue  en  fin  par  ceux  qui  en  font  pro- 
fession         7 

Honneur  ne  se  doibt  achepter  par  effusion  de  sang 11 

I. 

lAnissaire  ont  trop  de  puissance:    ruineront,  I'Empire 

des  Turcs 22 

Idolatres  &  leurs  offrandes  receues  au  Temple  de  Salomon.     5 1 
leux  de  breslan  doiuent  estre  deffendus.  126.     Ancienne- 
ment  n'estoit  permis  de  iouer  de  bon  sinon  aux  ieux 
de  luicte  &  autres  exercices ibid 


TABLE    DES    MATIERES.  358 

PAGE 

Iniures  &  affrons  comment  doiuent  estre  punis 117 

Instruction  de  ieunesse  est  de  grande  importance.  184. 
les  censeurs  en  doiuent  prendre  le  soing.  ibid.     Quelle 

instruction  il  faut  donner  aux  enfans 187 

Italic  occupee  sur  les  Empereurs  &  diuisee  en  plusieurs 

principautez 96 

luifs  perseuerent  en  leurs  anciennes  coustumes 50 

luges  choiies  a  Rome  les  plus  riches.  135.  Les  Em- 
pereurs &  Roys  ont  faict  I'office  de  iuges 162 

lustice  vaut  mieux  que  vaillance 5 

lustin  second  establit  vn  grand  Preuost  auec  puissance 
souueraine  pour  punir  les  crimes 92 

L. 

LAbourage  est  vn  mestier  honorable 29 

Loix  &  leur  multitude  dommageable 161 

Loys  le  debonnaire  tourmente  &  spolie  par  ses  enfans.  .  .  100 

Loys  vnziesme  prend  en  sa  protection  les  Liegeois 193 

Luxe  en  habits  doibt  estre  defendu.  129.  Peuples 
addonnez  au  luxe  sont  plus  enclins  a  toute  sorte  de 

vices ^^^ 

M. 

MAgazins  de  bled  necessaires 174 

Marescages  d'ltalie  &  de  France.  38.  doiuent  estre 
cultiuez ^^ 

Marchandise  &  trafic  sont  honorables.  29.  vtiles  k  vn 
estat 30&31 

Manages  doiuent  estre  recommandez  pour  euiter  beau- 
coup  d'inconueniens 125 

Medicine  &  les  mathematiques  plus  necessaires  que  toute 
autre  science ^" 

Mer  Mgee  &  lonique.  23.  Est  expedient  pour  le  com- 
merce de  ioindre  deux  mers,  qui  se  pent  faire  en  trois 
fa^ons.  33.  Mer  rouge  plus  haute  que  I'Egypte.  34. 
Mer  Oceane  &  mediteranee  se  peuuent  ioindre  en 
Languedoc.  35.     Armee  sur  mer  contre  les  Corsaires.  .     41 


359  TABLE    DES    MATIERES. 

PAGE 

Meschans  ne  doiuent  estre  recues  en  protection  par 
aucan  Prince.  93.     ne  sont  pas  en  si  grand  nombre  que 

les  bons 79 

Mestiers  distribuez  par  confrairies 44 

Mithridates  ordonne  des  prix  aux  meilleurs  biberons. ...    140 
Monarchies  viennent  immediatement  de  Dieu.    15.     ne 
doiuent    estre   attaquees    quand    elles    sont    fortifiees 

d'vne  longue  possession 17 

Moyse  defend  de  mesdire  des  Dieux  estrangers 51 

Monnoye  doibt  estre  par  tout  d'vne  mesme  loy  &  poids. 
195.  Rehaussement  &  inegalite  d'icelle  preiudicie  au 
commerce,  ibid.  Rehaussement  estrange  du  marc 
d'or  &  d'argent.  197.  dommageable  aux  Fran9ois. 
197.  La  plus  petite  monnoye  est  la  mesure  des 
grandes.  202.  Monnoye  de  sel  en  Ethiopie.  203. 
La  bont^  de  la  monnoye  ne  consiste  qu'en  son  esti- 
mation, ibid.  Reglement  necessaire  en  la  monnoye 
pour  la  commodity  du  commerce.  105.     Moulin  pour 

forger  monnoyes 216 

Musique  vtile.  178.  Peuple  d'Arcadie  deuenu  farouche 
pour  auoir  quitt^  la  musique 179 

N. 

Nil  riuiere  d'Egypte 34 

Noblesse  de  race  merite  quelque  preference 135 

Numa  distribue  les  mestiers  par  confrairies 45 

0. 

ODryses  s'entament  le  corps  k  coups  d'espee,  quand  ils 
n'ont  point  d'ennemis 19 

Officiers  des  Princes  doiuent  estre  punis  quand  ils  abusent 
de  leur  charge.  92.     Trop  d'officiers  aux  finances 171 

Office  de  grand  Preuost  k  Rome  pouuoit  autant  que 
le  Connestable,  grand  maistre,  Chancelier  &  Gapitaine 
des  gardes  tous  ensemble 113 

Or  a  telle  proportion  k  largent,  que  douze  k  vn 205 

Othon  refuse  I'empire 11 


TABLE    DES    MATIERES.  360 

P. 


PAGE 


PAix  generale  ne  peut  abastatdir  la  valeur.  25.  Ses 
nioyens.  79.  elle  entretient  les  Princes  en  grandeur 
&  asseure  leur  estat.  83.     huict  choses  necessaires  pour 

entretenir  la  paix 86 

Palais  doibt  estre  paue  de  chaussetrappes  disoit  Caton. .    159 

Pape  doibt  moyenner  la  paix  entre  les  Chrestiens 221 

Pauures  doiuent  estre  nourris  aux  despens  du  public.  155. 

leur  multitude  est  dangereuse ibid 

Parthes  ayment  leurs  seruiteurs  comme  leurs  enfans 88 

Plaidereaux  doiuent  estre  punis 158 

Plotin  estoit  honteaux  d'estre  homme 224 

Poetes   estoient   couronnez    de  la  main  de  I'Empereur 

au  concert  de  poesie  d'Alba 144 

Poids  doit  estre  esgal  par  tout 211 

Populas  pense  que  tout  le  monde   doibe   viure  comme 

luy 52 

Preste-Ian  tient  tous  les  Princes  de  sa  race  enfermez 

dans  vn  chasteau 99 

Princes  ne  prisent  que  les  armes.  5.  Ne  se  doiuent 
hazarder  a  vne  querre.  10.  Se  doiuent  tenir  sur  la 
defensiue.  13.  Se  soubsmettre  volontairement  aux 
arbitres.  8.  Moderer  les  imposts.  31.  Entretenir  des 
vaisseaux  sur  mer.  41  &  42.  se  contenter  de  leur 
fortune  presente.  78.  Punir  les  meschans.  90.  Ap- 
pointer  honorablement  leurs  parens.  99.  ne  doiuent 
donner  trop  de  puissance  a  vn  suiect.  112.  Difference 
entre  le  Prince  legitime  &  tyran.  88.  Princes  doiuent 
distribuer  les  loyers  auec  equite  &  prudence.  131.  & 
177.  Ne  doiuent  se  rendre  inaccessibles  k  leurs 
subiects.  132.  Ne  doiuent  donner  excessiuement.  136. 
ny  sans  I'aduis  de  leur  conseil.  152.  Diuersite  des 
dons  qu'il  peut  faire.  142.  Doiuent  auoir  magazins 
de  bled.  174.  augmenter  leurs  finances  par  le  trafic. 
172.  Vn  estat  de  leur  finances  entre  leurs  mains  &  la 
liste  de  leurs  officiers  &  seruiteurs.  152.  Ne  doiuent 
receuoir  les  subiects  d'autruy  sans  son  consentement. 
194.     Doiuent  s'accorder  pour  la  monnoye 221 


361  TABLE    DES    MATIERES. 

PAGE 

Procez  &  leur  reglement 1 60 

Procureurs  anciennement  n'estoient  permis  aux  plaidans 
sinon  en  cas  de  necessite 1 60 

Q. 

QUerelleux  punissables 114 

Querelle  de  Varenus  &  Pulsio  soldats  de  Cesar  honora- 
blement  terminee 123 

R. 

REcompense  des  merites  necessaire 131 

Religion  gist  principalement  en  la  recognoisance  d'vn 
Dieu.  50.  Quatre  principales  religions.  49.  Toutes 
tendent  k  vne  mesme  fin.  50.  Nouuelles  religions  dds 
leur  commencement  doiuent  estre  reprimees.  56. 
Diuersite  de  religions  ne  peut  empescher  la  paix 
vniuerselle.  59.  Religion  est  plustost  vn  pretexte  que 
cause  de  guerre.  4.     soubs  couleur  de  religion  &  pietd 

les  estats  troublez 102 

Republiques  sont  en  fin  contrainctes  d'auoir  recours  k  la 

Monarchic 107 

Riuieres  necessaires  pour  le  commerce 32 

Riuieres  d'Almona  &  de  Radantia  ioinctes  par  Charle- 
magne. 34.  Riuiere  artificielle  pour  le  commerce 
de  Bruxelles  &  d'Anuers.   32.      Riuieres  de  Tane  & 

Volga 35 

Roches  qui  ne  se  bougent  quand  on  les  pousse  rudement, 

&  auec  le  doigt  sont  esbranlees 40 

Roy  de  France  merite  la  preseance  entre  tous  les  Roys. .     67 
Roy  d'Hespagne  entretient  vne  armee  nauale  es  Indes 

contre  les  pirates 41 

Roys  ne  tiennent  que  de  Dieu.  64.  &  toutesfois  cedent 
pour  la  seance  a  I'Empereur.  ibid.  Roys  degradez  par 
leur  nonchalance  &  imbecillit6.  94.  Rois  tyranniques 
ne  peuuent  estre  legitimement  attaquez  par  leurs  sub- 
iects.  104.  Rien  ne  sert  de  se  reuolter  contre  eux. 
106.  Roys  des  Indes  iurent  de  faire  en  sorte  que  la 
terre  produira  abondance  de  fruicts 175 


TABLE    DES    MATIERES.  362 

s. 


PAGE 


SAuuages  doiuent  estre  tenus  comme  des  bestes 26 

Scacoculis   Hermite  dissimuld,    102.     leue  le  masque  & 

s'empare  de  plusieurs  villes ibid 

Sciences  necessaires  k  I'estat.  46.     preferables  k  la  vaill- 

ance.  139.     n'empesche  pas  la  valeur ibid 

Schytes    defont   Cyrus.    84.     pensent    que   les    sciences 

nuisent  a  la  generosite 139 

Secretaire    pour   aduertir   le    prince    de   ceux    qui    sont 

dignes  de  ses  liberalitez 133 

Sedition  punissable  entre  tous  autres  crimes.  94.     Diuer- 

sitez  de   sedition.  94.     Moyens   de  la   reprimer.   110. 

Sedition  centre  lustinian  a  Byzance ibid 

Simonet  Camertin  Hermite  accorde  les  Venitiens  auec 

Francois  Sforce 222 

Soldats  se  glorifient  de  peu  de  chose.  5.     de  tout  temps 

ont   este  plus   estimez   que  le   reste   des   hommes.   4. 

Seuere  commande  a  ses  enfans  de  les  enrichir.  ibid. 

font  peu  de  profit  en  guerre.  13.     impatiens  de  repos. 

19.     Ne  doiuent  estre  trop  honorez.  21.     Soldats  des 

gardes  a  Rome  massacroient  leurs  Empereurs.  ibid. 

Probe  Empereur  est  resolu  de  se  passer  de  soldats.  22. 

Exercice  des  soldats  Romains  en  temps  de  paix.  25. 

Soldats   doiuent   estre   employez   contre   les   voleurs, 

pirates,  &  sauuages.  26.     Meritent  quelques  priuileges. 

27.     sont  necessaires  au   Prince  pour  sa  seurete,  ib. 

doiuent  estre  payez ibid 

Suisses   remonstrent   au   Due   de   Bourgongne   qu'il   ne 

gaignera  rien  en  la  conqueste  de  leur  pays.  85.     mal 

traictez  par  les  Lieutenans  de  I'Empereur.    106.     se 

bandent  contre  le  Due  de  Bourgongne  pour  le  tort 

faict  a  vn  de  leurs  Bourgeois 192 

T. 

TAilles  doiuent  estre  reeles 1 69 

Tartares  cogneus  depuis  400.  ans 75 

Tybere  faict  mourir  celuy  qui  auoit  inuent^  le  moyen  de 
rendre  le  verre  malleable 141 


363  TABLE    DES    MATIERES. 

PAGE 

Timars  fiefs  en  Turquie 146 

Timidity  enpesche  beaucoup  de  belles  actions 80 

Trafic  est  honorable 29 

Tuer  &  nuire  sont  choses  f aciles 5 

Turcs  se  sont  esueillez  depuis  I'Empereur  Basile.  75.  se 
maintienuent  mieux  que  les  chrestiens.  14.  I'Em- 
pereur des  Turcs  a  mieux  faict  son  profit  en  guerre 
que  les  autres  Princes.  13.  Depuis  quelques  annees  il 
ne  conqueste  plus.  ibid.  Les  Turcs  estans  d'accord 
auec  les  Chrestiens,  on  peut  auoir  aysement  la  paix 
vniuerselle.  14.     Turcs  endurent  toute  sorte  de  religion.     59 

V. 

VAillance  vulgaire  ne  merite  pas  grand  hommeure.  7.  En 
quoy  consiste  la  vraye  vaillance ibid 

Venise  est  vn  lieu  propre  pour  tenir  I'assemblee  generate 
des  Ambassadeurs  de  tous  Souuerains 61 

Villes  pleines  de  faineants.  28.  deux  villes  au  nouveau 
monde  bien  differentes 189 

Voluptez  dignes  de  I'homme,  quelles 178 

X. 

XErxe  decernoit  vn  prix  aux  inuenteurs  de  nouueau 
plasir 141 


WORKS    BY   THE    EDITOR. 


International  Courts  of  Arbitration,  by  Thomas 
Balch,  1874:  Edited  and  reprinted  in  1899,  in  8°, 
pages   55. 

fiMERic  Cruce,    1900,  in  8°,  pages   69.      Out  of  print. 

The  Alasko-Canadian  Frontier,  1902,  in  8°,  pages  45. 
Out  of  print. 

The  Alaska  Frontier,  1903,  in  8°,  pages  xv.  and  198, 

The  Law  of  Oresme,  Copernicus  and  Gresham,  1908, 
in  8°,  pages  21. 

L'EvoLUTioN  de  l'Arbitrage  International,  1908,  in  8°, 
pages  122. 

La     Question     des     Pecheries     de     l'Atlantique:     un 

DIFFEREND        ENTRE        LES        EtATS-UnIS         ET        l'EmPIRE 

Britannique,    1909,    in    8°,    pages    50. 


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